St Anne's CofE Primary School

St Anne’s Church of England Primary School London Road, Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, PE29 2WW

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils achieve well, especially in mathematics, and attainment is rising across the school.  Children learn quickly in the Early Years Foundation Stage and enjoy the variety of interesting activities provided.  Teachers and teaching assistants have good relationships with their pupils. They explain what pupils are to learn clearly and make sure that learning is purposeful.  Pupils are considerate, behave well and feel safe at school. They enjoy taking part in all activities and appreciate the positive values expressed in ‘The Saint Anne’s Spirit’ code for behaviour.  The school is improving and moving forward rapidly following the previous inspection.  Leaders, driven by the headteacher, have high expectations for the school and know what to do to make it outstanding.  The leadership and management of teaching, including by governors, is successful in developing the teachers’ skills and has a

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

positive impact on pupils’ learning and achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always give the most able pupils hard enough work.  Teachers do not always ensure pupils correct avoidable spelling mistakes in their writing or take notice of their marking straight away.  The support provided for pupils for whom the school receives additional funding is not helping all of these pupils to reach the same standards as their peers.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed teaching in 16 lessons, some with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, teachers, pupils, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspection took into account 57 responses to the online Parent View survey. Informal discussions were held with a random sample of parents.  The inspectors considered the views expressed in survey responses from 32 members of staff.  A range of information supplied by the school was scrutinised, including the school’s own information about how well pupils are doing, planning documents, checks on the quality of teaching, the school development plan, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection team

Alison Cartlidge, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rosemarie McCarthy Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Saint Anne’s is an average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. Around one in ten speaks English as an additional language; most of these pupils are from Eastern European backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and those from service families) is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs at school action is broadly average, and the proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching further by:  making sure that work is always hard enough for the most able pupils  ensuring that pupils act on advice given through teachers’ marking and correct avoidable spelling mistakes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the support for pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding and check up on their progress more frequently, so that these pupils catch up and reach the same standards as other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start in the Reception class working within the levels typical for their age. They make good progress, especially in reading, writing and numeracy. For example, they were keen to show how many syllables there were in the new words they were learning and they enjoyed adding the prices of the shopping from the garden centre. Occasionally, the most able are given insufficient challenge during whole-class discussions, when they are ready to move on to harder work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment by the end of Year 6 is broadly average and is rising across the school. Pupils in the current Year 6 are on target to reach higher levels than pupils in 2013, and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is now above average by the end of Year 2.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Results of the screening check for phonics (the sounds letters make) were better in 2013 than in 2012, reflecting improvements made in the teaching of phonics. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard was just above the national average. As one pupil in Year 2 said, ‘I sound it out and then I know the words.’

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school promotes equality of opportunity by ensuring that most pupils, including those with English as an additional language, do equally well. Consequently, pupils’ progress has improved since the previous inspection and is now good across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils do slightly less well in writing, because they frequently make avoidable errors in their spelling. The gap between girls’ and boys’ attainment in writing is closing, as teachers plan more boy-friendly writing topics to increase their interest.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good. Pupils are given beneficial extra help that is tailored to their specific needs both in class and in special groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The attainment gap between pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding and others is closing in reading, writing and mathematics, although it remains wide for a few pupils. The number of these pupils in each year group is too small to report on their attainment in national assessments at the end of Year 6 without identifying individuals. Leaders are aware that, while pupils make good progress, not all support has been sufficient to close the attainment gap for a few pupils, and checks on how well these pupils are doing are not frequent enough.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most able pupils make good progress over time, but they are not always expected to complete hard enough work so that they can learn quickly in all lessons. For example, at times they complete similar work to other pupils when they are ready to try something more challenging.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning play an important part in the good progress they are making.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants form good relationships with the pupils and make good use of praise to build the pupils’ confidence. They ask probing questions to encourage pupils to think hard. For example, careful questioning helped pupils in Year 2 to think about what order to put their clues to a riddle, so that they did not give the answer away too soon.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most work is suited well to pupils’ abilities and supports them in learning quickly, including in literacy and mathematics. For example, in Year 6, the teacher provided a wide range of tasks so that all pupils could be involved in solving written money problems.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers explain tasks clearly so that pupils are able to get to work straight away. Occasionally, the most able are not challenged enough when it becomes clear in a lesson that the work they have been given is not hard enough for them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils appreciate the fun activities and good use of resources that help them to enjoy learning and bring subjects to life. For example, younger pupils enjoyed the role-play beach in their classroom which supported their learning about Australia.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants contribute well to lessons and provide good support for small groups of pupils. They demonstrate sensitivity and patience when helping pupils to master something new.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ marking has improved since the previous inspection and mostly provides clear advice on the next steps pupils need to take to improve their learning. However, teachers do not always ensure pupils act on this advice straight away and, consequently, avoidable errors are sometimes repeated.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage supports children well when they are working with an adult or on their own. Children work together well and share resources sensibly. For example, they worked together well to share resources in the ‘potting shed’ and enjoyed showing their ‘adding arms’ when choosing the right sign for their sums when working with the teacher.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are very polite and friendly, and their behaviour around school and at playtime is exemplary. Parents, pupils and members of staff are positive about behaviour at the school. Pupils take care to heed ‘The Saint Anne’s Spirit’ that shows them how to display qualities such as respect, honesty and kindness. School records show that instances of poor behaviour or bullying are rare over time, but that they are tackled by staff quickly and effectively.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have good attitudes towards learning. On the few occasions when teachers do not make sure that the work is just right for them, pupils can lose interest and become quietly inattentive.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils appreciate how they are supported in respecting each other. They show consideration and are keen to help ‘unhappy friends’ who may be sitting on the friendship bench.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe and secure are good and, consequently, pupils feel safe and know how to stay safe. All parents who responded to the inspection survey said that their children feel safe at school and the pupils agree. Pupils feel safe. They say that teachers will quickly sort out any worries, as one commented, ‘Teachers are caring.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Rates of attendance are above average, reflecting the pupils’ enthusiasm for school. They make positive comments such as, ‘Learning is fun’ and, ‘You are not always going over the same things.’

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, supported by senior and subject leaders, is driving the school forward. Together they are successfully working with pupils, parents and other members of staff to realise their high aspirations. They have a good understanding of how well the school is doing and what needs to be done to make the school outstanding in the future.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching is improving rapidly because leaders check thoroughly on how well teachers are doing and make sure that they are clear about what they need to do next to improve the learning of pupils in their class.

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The leadership and management are good

 Funding to support the pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is helping to close the attainment gap for these pupils overall, although support is not successful for all pupils. Leaders are aware that they have not checked up on the progress of these pupils soon enough, to make changes in provision when there is insufficient impact on pupils’ learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 Work in class promotes good progress and attitudes because topics are interesting so that pupils are motivated to work hard. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a particular strength. Members of staff are good role models for considerate behaviour. Pupils are confident and happy and expect that they should help others to feel the same way. They learn values such as trust and respect and are kind and caring to each other, showing good consideration for each other’s backgrounds.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new funding to develop sport is being used to train staff alongside the pupils. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 2 enjoyed learning how to devise an Australian dance sequence. It is too soon for the school to be able to check up on the impact of this work, but pupils are already appreciating the greater opportunities they receive to take part in clubs and competitive sport with other schools. These activities are supporting the pupils’ physical well- being and enabling them to reach the standards of which they are capable in physical education.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has a strong partnership with the parents, and parents are especially pleased with the care members of staff provide for the pupils and their families.

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The leadership and management are good

 Arrangements for keeping pupils safe meet requirements. Members of staff are checked for their suitability for working in school and are suitably trained in how to care for the pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides the right level of support for this good and improving school, and leaders at the school have been pleased to benefit from sharing training and advice with other schools in the area.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors have developed the way that they work with the school and provide greater challenge and rigour than in the past. They are knowledgeable about the school and keen to find things out for themselves rather than depend on the headteacher for information, as they did in the past. They know how well the school’s performance compares with other schools nationally, how good teaching is and how leaders support weaker teaching and reward best practice.

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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 131238 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 430727

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 213 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair James Blatch Headteacher Adrian Shepherd Date of previous school inspection 28 May 2012 Telephone number 01480 375300 Fax number 01480 375301 Email address office@stannes.cambs.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, please

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School details

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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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