St Anne's Catholic Primary School

St Anne's Catholic Primary School Slater Lane, Leyland, Lancashire, PR25 1TL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  The progress of pupils is good. Most children begin school with skills lower than those typical for their age and leave Year 6 with standards that are usually comparable to the national average, especially in reading and writing.  The quality of teaching is good. Teachers have a good understanding of pupils' abilities, have good subject knowledge and understand the key features that make learning good.  The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils enjoy coming to this school, they want to learn and show a high regard for their teachers. The school has a close knit family feel with extremely positive relationships between staff and pupils.  The school's work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Parents say their children are looked after well. Pupils are confident that staff will listen to their concerns and take effective actions to resolve any issues quickly.  The new headteacher, supported well by her

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

leadership team, ensures excellent attention is given to individual pupils and their needs. She has been instrumental in making improvements to the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement throughout the school. A small proportion of teaching is now outstanding.  Governors have a clear vision for further improvement and give appropriate challenge to school leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding to allow all pupils to make rapid and sustained progress.  Teachers have not had enough opportunities to observe and learn from outstanding teaching to further improve their own practice.  Achievement in mathematics does not match that of English in Key Stage 2. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills often enough.  Teachers do not always give pupils feedback that is precise enough to help them to improve their work and they do not always check that their advice is followed.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons or parts of lessons, two of which were observed jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors listened to Year 1 and 2 pupils read and looked at the work of a range of pupils' workbooks from across the school.  Meetings were held with senior leaders and different groups of people involved with the school. These included pupils, parents, members of the governing body, members of the teaching staff and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took into account the results of the school’s recent parental surveys, the 19 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), letters from parents and 25 staff questionnaires.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including plans for improvement, records of the school’s checks on pupils’ and teachers’ performance, safeguarding and attendance documents, minutes of meetings of the governing body and school policies.

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Inspection team

Faheem Chishti, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Fiona McNally Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Anne's Catholic Primary School is similar in size to an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is slightly below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is above average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.)  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language is much lower than that found nationally.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this school

 The school did not administer the national tests for Year 6 in 2013 due to a critical incident.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further increase the proportion of outstanding teaching so that pupils make consistently rapid progress by ensuring that:  teachers set work that consistently challenges the most able pupils  marking shows pupils how to improve their work and teachers check that pupils act on this advice  teachers have further opportunities to observe and learn from outstanding teaching  recent improvements in the teaching of mathematics are embedded so that pupils make the same good progress in this subject as they do in English, particularly in Key Stage 2.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most pupils start the school in Reception with skills and knowledge below those typically expected of their age. They make good progress from their starting points, so that by the time they leave the school in Year 6, they reach broadly average standards. The fastest progress is made in Years 5 and 6, where consistently good teaching by experienced staff results in good progress.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children make good progress in most areas of learning and leave at the end of Reception Year with standards slightly below those typical of their age.  The progress of pupils in Key Stage 2 is particularly strong. Pupils consistently make good progress. This is however not yet matched in Key Stage 1 where progress is less consistent across year groups and subjects.  Reading skills are taught well using phonics (learning letters and sounds they make) and pupils use these skills successfully in their initial efforts in reading and writing. Pupils perform well in

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The achievement of pupils is good

the national reading screening check in Year 1, and although standards fluctuate, they are broadly in line with the national average.  The progress in reading in Key Stage 2 is good. The fastest progress is in Years 5 and 6; pupils enjoy reading extensively across a wide range of subjects. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above the national average.  At the end of Year 6, standards in writing are broadly average; however, there is an increasing proportion of pupils reaching the highest levels in writing. This is as a result of effective planning by teachers who provide a wide range of opportunities to write at length.  Standards in mathematics are slightly below average by the end of Year 6. In 2013, not enough pupils reached the higher levels in mathematics. The progress of pupils in mathematics at Key Stage 1 however shows an improving picture with standards at the end of Year 2 set to rise sharply in 2014.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is similar to that of their peers in school in reading, writing and in mathematics. The gap between their attainment and that of others pupils in the school is currently closing and their attainment is slightly better than their national peers particularly in reading and writing.  Activities provided for the most able pupils do not always allow them to make as much progress as they could. Sometimes, the most able pupils are held back while waiting for others to catch up. Not enough pupils make outstanding progress to reach the highest levels in writing, particularly in Key Stage 1 and in mathematics in Key Stage 2.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive effective support so that they make good progress. This is because planning and teaching are closely matched to pupils' prior attainment and needs and also as a result of the high numbers of extra staff that provide

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The quality of teaching is good

 Evidence gathered from a range of sources shows that the quality of teaching over time is good. Teachers have an excellent rapport with their pupils, which results in an eagerness to learn and a love for reading in particular. There is a family atmosphere in most classes with pupils relating to their teachers extremely well; as a result, pupils have a solid foundation from which to learn and make good progress.  Pupils usually have work set that matches their ability and builds successfully on what they already know and understand. Individual children's needs are carefully monitored and different tasks set for them if needed. For example, in Key Stage 2 mathematics, pupils were constantly challenged to think hard during a sorting activity. The teacher checked each individual's progress carefully allowing pupils to challenge each others thinking deeply. This enabled pupils to make rapid progress in a short amount of time. This consistent level of challenge is not evident in the

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The quality of teaching is good

work of all groups of pupils, particularly that of the most able, throughout the school or in all subjects.  The teaching of reading is good. Good subject knowledge and well trained staff, a vibrant school library and often good support given by parents at home, all contribute to most pupils displaying a love for reading and making good progress.  Improving the teaching of mathematics has been a strong focus for the school. Currently the impact of these improvements on outcomes for pupils is more evident in Key Stage 1. Pupils have a good understanding of calculations and number in Key Stage 2, but are not given enough opportunities to apply these skills when investigating or solving challenging problems.  Marking in books, although improving, does not always show pupils precisely how to improve their work and often does not allow time for them to respond to teachers' comments.  The quality and range of activities in the Early Years Foundation Stage have improved in recent

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The quality of teaching is good

years. Children have access to activities pitched at the right level for them. Their progress is checked carefully. Children mirror the good language models provided by adults. The stimulating outdoor areas replicate the interesting educational experiences children enjoy indoors.  The teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good because all adults, and particularly skilled teaching assistants, ensure that pupils receive support at just the right level to help them succeed in the tasks set.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school and that they like lessons. Pupils feel extremely valued and feel proud of their school. For example, one pupil mentioned that, 'each teacher has a special connection with each and every child in the class'. This is a typical comment and supported by the actions of adults who show great care and support in managing behaviour sensitively. This positive behaviour and attitudes to learning contributes to pupils’ good progress in many areas of the school.  The new behaviour-management system has had a positive effect on the behaviour of pupils around school. A 'thinking sheet' and a 'thinking room' are managed sensibly, ensuring that pupils have a good understanding of their actions and the effect these may have on other people. Pupils speak highly of this system and say that it has improved behaviour across the school. For example, pupils report that higher expectations on the standard and consistency of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

wearing the school uniform have led to a greater sense of pride in the school.  Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying, including those posed by using the internet. They say they feel safe and well cared for. They report that bullying and racism is rare in this school. Logs kept by the school show that any misbehaviour is dealt with swiftly and appropriately by staff in a caring and supportive manner.  Pupils' attendance, although broadly average in recent years, has significantly improved further in 2014. This is due in no small part to a culture change in expectations of parents regarding the importance of attendance, coupled with the work with local agencies and families to reduce the level of persistent absence.  The school's work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say that they feel safe and that the school is a safe place. Recent physical improvements to the school building have also

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

significantly improved pupils' safety. Pupils have a good appreciation of a range of risks. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe if, for example, cyber-bullying were to occur.

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The leadership and management are good

 All leaders, including those who lead subjects, work hard to ensure well-managed initiatives for improvement are swiftly implemented and thoroughly reviewed in this good school. The recent appointment of the new headteacher has had a significantly positive impact on the life of the school. Parents say they feel listened to, governors have made improvements to the way they work following suggestions by the headteacher, and staff questionnaires revealed 100% of their responses were positive about all aspects of the school.  School leaders have worked hard to establish greater accuracy in teachers' judgements of pupils work. Coupled with a much improved data system to monitor pupils' performance, leaders now have a better understanding of pupils' achievements and specific areas in the school that require improvement. They are now able to identify where pupils are falling behind and use this information to quickly put measures in place to tackle underperformance. The impact of these

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The leadership and management are good

measures is not yet fully evident in improved levels of attainment, for example, in mathematics in Key Stage 2.  Teachers' performance is carefully and rigorously checked and clear guidance is given on how to improve further. School leaders have begun work to link teachers’ individual targets closely to accelerating pupils' progress. Teachers have not, however, been fully held to account for the progress of pupils in their class. Teachers' targets have not yet fully impacted on increasing the consistency in pupils’ progress in Key Stage 1, for example. Although there is good sharing of ideas to improve teaching, this is not consistent enough and teachers do not have enough opportunities to observe outstanding practice as widely and often as they could.  The rich curriculum allows pupils lots of opportunities for writing across different subjects. Whole school themes, such as the current Brazil World Cup enables key skills to be taught in a real-life

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The leadership and management are good

context as well as developing a sense of school community.  The curriculum is used well to tackle any possible issues of discrimination through awareness of a range of cultures, which promotes equal opportunities well. It places a high emphasis on the promotion of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils often participate in performances such as playing musical instruments, including in Key Stage 1. Whole school assemblies led by pupils give opportunities for pupils to gain a great sense of achievement and to feel proud of themselves. Parents speak highly of the school. The vast majority of parents who responded to Parent View were happy with the school and would recommend it to other families.  The school uses its primary school sports funding allocation well to pay for the services of sports coaches who teach physical education alongside class teachers and provide extra after-school

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The leadership and management are good

and lunchtime activities. This has given pupils a greater awareness of healthier lifestyles as well as good quality training for teachers who take this opportunity to learn from sports coaches to improve their own teaching of physical education.  The local authority provides thorough and effective support to the school. Extra support has been provided to the school recently, which has been received well. The school actively takes part in local authority initiatives and works well with local schools.  The governance of the school:  The governing body brings a wealth of experience to its role. Inspection evidence shows that governors have a good understanding of how to measure the performance of the school, understand the data on achievement and are provided with reports which are clear and helpful.  Governors make appropriate use of information to plan the use of funding such as the pupil premium and the new sports funding and keep a close check on how this impacts on pupils'

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The leadership and management are good

achievement.  Governors know about the quality of teaching, how teachers’ pay is related to this and how well the school has tackled underperformance. Governors ensure that safeguarding procedures in school are robust and consistently followed.

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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 119578 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 444042

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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 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Mills Headteacher Elizabeth Darnell Date of previous school inspection 14 February 2011 Telephone number 01772 422769 Fax number 01772 455188 Email address bursar@st-annes.lancs.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 and 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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