St Anne's Church of England Primary School

School report St Anne’s Church of England Primary School School Road, Oldland Common, Bristol, BS30 6PH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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This is a good school

 Pupils make good progress throughout their time in the school. The standards they reach are above average. As a result, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. The work they do in class and the support they receive are well matched to their needs.  Children in the Reception classes thrive. The teachers and other adults make sure that the learning experiences children have are interesting and enjoyable, which helps them to learn well.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use their understanding to help pupils to develop the skills they need in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching assistants are very skilled. They provide effective support for pupils of all abilities.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils form good relationships with each other and with all adults.  The school is a safe place in which to learn.

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This is a good school

 The subjects pupils learn are well organised. Children love the thematic approach and the exciting activities they do.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. As a result, they grow into sensitive and caring young people.  Leaders and managers make regular and accurate checks on how well the school is doing. They quickly spot any areas of relative weakness and they take effective steps to put things right.  Governors provide effective support and challenge to make sure that the school continues to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 A minority of teachers do not have high enough expectations about pupils’ attitudes to learning.  Pupils do not always take pride and care with the presentation of their work.  Teachers do not always make sure that pupils apply the advice they give them when they mark their books.  Teachers sometimes do not recognise when pupils are ready to move on to harder work. This stops some pupils, especially the most able, from making faster progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 18 lessons and parts of lessons, some of them jointly with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, other leaders in school, members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority, and with parents and pupils.  Inspectors took account of the 92 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as the views of parents from informal discussions in school and one letter from a parent received during the inspection.  Inspectors considered school leaders’ views on the quality of the school’s work and their plans for school improvement, as well as information about pupils’ progress. They also looked at teachers’ planning, pupils’ work, documentation about safeguarding procedures and examples of the targets teachers are given as part of the management of their performance.  The inspection team analysed the 28 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Jeanne Simpson, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 St Anne’s Church of England Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding (extra funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in local authority care) is lower than average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs on the school roll is lower than in most schools.  Most pupils are from a White British heritage.  Inspectors evaluated the quality of provision in the breakfast club, which is managed by the governing body. The after-school club is managed by another provider and was not included in this inspection.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  All pupils in the Reception classes attend full time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Help pupils to make more rapid progress by making sure that:  teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils’ attitudes to learning and in the care and pride they take with the presentation of their work  pupils apply the advice that teachers give then when they mark their work  teachers find ways to check how well pupils understand new learning so that they can move on as soon as they are ready, particularly the most able pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers, including governors, make regular and accurate checks on what is going well and what could be improved. They take swift and effective action if necessary. As a result, the good features of the school recognised at the previous inspection have been consolidated. Leaders know that achievement and teaching are not yet strong enough to be outstanding. They are working together effectively to make the school outstanding as soon as possible.  Teachers who lead subjects are very knowledgeable about their areas of responsibility. They regularly lead training for their colleagues in order to share their expertise to improve standards in their subjects. The changes they have made in response to the falling standards in 2013 have contributed strongly to the improvements in teaching and achievement now evident.  The school uses its pupil premium funding effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils are given

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The leadership and management are good

effective support which makes sure that they are achieving at least as well as their classmates. Leaders place high priority on knowing the individual needs of all pupils so that they can make sure that equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination is tackled. Consequently, there are no significant gaps in the achievement of any pupil groups.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy all of the subjects they learn. Subjects are arranged in themes and in ways that engage and inspire the pupils. They regularly apply their skills in reading, writing and mathematics in their topic work to demonstrate their understanding and apply what they have learnt. They develop a good understanding of different cultures worldwide as well as the changes that have happened through history. Their learning helps them to appreciate British values such as democracy and rule of law. They also develop an understanding of, and tolerance for, other cultures and faiths.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is rich with examples of ways in which the school promotes pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding. The work of famous artists is displayed alongside pupils’ own work so that they can compare their efforts. There are many examples of how pupils are encouraged to develop sensitivity and compassion towards others. They show responsibility in the roles they carry out around the school, such as the peer mediators who help to sort out minor disagreements in the playground.  Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They recognise the care that is taken to ensure that their children are safe, are happy and learn well. All those who responded on Parent View would recommend the school to others.  The additional funding for primary sport has had a significant impact. Teachers’ skills have improved through working alongside sports coaches. A range of new sports has been introduced and far more pupils

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The leadership and management are good

than previously are involved in after-school sports clubs and competitive events. The skills shown by the youngest children in the school during the inspection were well above levels expected for their age.  The school’s systems for the safeguarding of pupils meet statutory requirements. The systems in place for recognising pupils who may be at risk are very strong. Any pupil in need of extra care and attention is given effective help to make sure that risks are minimised.  The local authority knows the school well and gives an appropriate level of ‘light-touch’ support.  The governance of the school:  Governance is highly effective and the high levels of support and challenge which governors provide are helping the school to continue to strengthen. Governors are confident in using information about how well pupils are doing to hold the headteacher and other leaders to account. They regularly visit the

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The leadership and management are good

school to check for themselves how things are going. They use their personal and professional skills to help the school and they attend training to enhance their skills further. They have organised their own training to share the skills of the more experienced governors. They make sure that the targets teachers are set to improve their performance are suitably challenging. They check that underperformance is tackled and that effective teachers are rewarded by progression through the pay scales. Governors are proud of the school and share the headteacher’s ambitions to make the school outstanding as quickly as possible

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils say that the behaviour charts in classes help them to think about their behaviour, make good choices and learn from their mistakes. They say that most children are kind and that, if not, they would try to talk to them about it.  Around school, pupils behave sensibly. They are polite and caring to each other and to adults. They get on well together in the playground. They enjoy the large amount of space and pupils of all ages mix well.  In lessons, most pupils behave well. They try hard because they enjoy their learning and they want to do their best work. If attention wanders, teachers need only to give a gentle reminder and pupils get back to their work. In a minority of classes, teachers do not always notice when pupils lose concentration and become distracted from their work. In those cases, noise levels sometimes rise, which stops some pupils from making more rapid progress.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are proud of their school. They look after equipment well and there is no litter around the buildings. However, pupils do not always show the same pride in their written work. Some teachers do not consistently reinforce the high expectations about the quality of pupils’ work evident in many classes.  There are very few cases of bullying recorded by the school. The recent anti-bullying week, which also shared information with parents, helped pupils to understand how to recognise and deal with bullying. Pupils know about different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They say that bullying is rare, but that there is always a solution if you tell an adult.  Pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour are given effective help. As a result, exclusions are rare.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils, staff and parents all agree that the school is safe place in which to learn.  Pupils who attend the Breakfast Club enjoy the wide variety of activities available. They play together well. High levels of supervision ensure that they are safe. Pupils are confident that an adult would help them if there was a problem.  Pupils talk knowledgeably about staying safe when they are using the internet. They know the risks and what to do if they come across inappropriate content.  Pupils learn about road safety and ‘stranger danger’ and about how different drugs can help them or harm them. The visits the pupils in Year 6 make to the Life Skills exhibition prepare them well for the risks they may meet as they get older.  Attendance is above average. There are very few pupils who are regularly absent because pupils enjoy being in school. The school checks that pupils who are not in school are safe.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most pupils love their learning. In the words of one pupil, ‘It is the best school ever.’ A strong contributory factor to the positive attitudes of pupils is the good relationships at all levels. As a result, pupils are not afraid to make mistakes or to ask for help if they need to.  Teachers mostly provide work for pupils which is neither too easy nor too hard. Pupils often decide which level of challenge they feel confident to try. Teachers check that they are making the right choices and advise pupils if necessary. Pupils think about their learning and they often move themselves up to the next level as they gain confidence. This helps them to make good progress.  Teachers have very good subject knowledge which they use to plan the small steps that pupils need to take to build their learning systematically. They ask searching questions which take pupils to a deeper level of understanding. They adjust their teaching if pupils need more help. However, some teachers do

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The quality of teaching is good

not always recognise when some pupils, usually the more able, could move on to harder work more quickly.  Teachers use the technical language of different subjects effectively. During the inspection, younger pupils in Key Stage 2 were talking confidently about different kinds of figurative language in a text and were able to use examples in their own work.  Pupils mostly know what they need to do to improve their work. They regularly refer to the targets they have to improve their skills in writing and mathematics. They also know how well they are doing and what they need to do next from the comments that teachers write when they mark their books. Pupils usually practise and apply the advice, but this is not consistent. Some pupils continue to make the same mistakes, which slows their progress.  Teaching assistants are very skilled. They ask just the right questions to help pupils to improve their

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The quality of teaching is good

understanding. They gauge accurately when to leave pupils to continue without help, so that pupils gain confidence to work on their own.  The good quality of teaching for pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs helps them to make good progress. Pupils who need additional help beyond the classroom benefit from specific programmes of work, both individually and in small groups.  Pupils read confidently. Displays round the school encourage them to read for pleasure. They say that teachers help them to improve their skills and to ‘read between the lines’. Older pupils say that the teachers’ recommendations widen the range of books they read and introduce them to authors they might not have chosen themselves. They read regularly at home, which also contributes to the good progress they make.  Pupils write regularly in all the subjects they learn, which gives them the chance to practise their spelling,

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The quality of teaching is good

punctuation and grammar skills. They are enthusiastic writers because teachers make sure that they are interested in what they are doing. Pupils in one class were intrigued by a tray of shredded paper on their desks which they thought would stimulate some writing later in the day on their topic, ‘A night at the museum’.  Skills in mathematics are developed effectively because pupils regularly apply their skills to solve problems and carry out investigations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils generally reach above-average standards in the national tests in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. There was a slight dip in attainment in 2013 but this was successfully reversed in 2014. The standards of work in the books of pupils currently in those year groups suggest that the present cohorts are working at above-average levels.  There are no significant differences in standards between subjects. This means that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the national reading check at the end of Year 1 is consistently above average. In 2014, all the pupils in Year 2 who did not reach the expected standard when they were in Year 1 were successful.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 make good progress from their starting points. At the end of Year 2, standards reached by pupils are ahead of the national average by about half a term in mathematics, one term in

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading and nearly two terms in writing.  Progress in Key Stage 2 is speeding up and standards overall are rising. The proportions of pupils making expected and better-than-expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics are consistently in line with national averages.  Pupils in Year 6 who left the school in 2014 were at least a term ahead of the national average in writing and mathematics, and broadly in line in reading.  The most able pupils do well in both key stages. The proportion which reaches the higher levels in writing and mathematics is above average, although it is not quite so high in reading.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. The support they receive is well matched to their needs. As a result, by the time they leave, they are about two terms ahead of similar pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.  The achievement of disadvantaged pupils is carefully tracked by the school to make sure that they are

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The achievement of pupils is good

doing at least as well as other pupils. They are given a range of help to support their academic as well as their personal development. If they start to fall behind, the school takes rapid steps to help them catch up. However, the number of pupils in each year group is small, so it is not appropriate to make comparisons about their attainment.

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The early years provision is good

 Parents are exceptionally positive about how their children have settled into school life in the Reception classes. They appreciate the way that the school gets to know the children before they start. During the inspection, children from a local pre-school were visiting the Reception classes to take part in a variety of interesting activities. This prepares them well for starting school.  Parents value the continuing advice and guidance they get from the school about how to help their children at home. This effective partnership contributes strongly to the good progress the children make.  When children start in Reception, their skills are broadly in line with those typical for their age, though their skills in reading and writing are lower than in other areas of their development. Children who are below the levels expected are given very effective support which helps them to catch up.  Children make good progress because the adults create activities and experiences which enthuse and

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The early years provision is good

inspire the children and meet their needs. By the time they enter Year 1, a high proportion are at a good level of development.  Children’s skills in reading and writing are still below their skills in other areas of their learning, which is why early years provision is good rather than outstanding. The early years leader is aware of the gap and has made appropriate changes to improve standards in future.  The classrooms are well organised so that children can choose easily from the wide range of learning activities available. Teachers and teaching assistants work effectively with the children, talking with them and helping them to deepen their understanding. They make accurate assessments about children’s understanding and they set up activities to help them to develop further. Children with specific needs are given exceptionally high-quality support.  The adults make sure children are safe and they teach the children how to keep themselves safe. Children

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The early years provision is good

know why there are rules about how they behave and they respond well at all times to the teachers’ high expectations.  The early years leader makes sure that there is no difference in the quality of provision in the two classes. She uses information about how well children are doing to confirm her judgements about what is going well and what could be even better. She makes well-judged changes when necessary. The steady improvements in standards show that she is successful.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 109159 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 443975

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 383 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Karen Cleary Headteacher Sean Quinn Date of previous school inspection 14–15 September 2010 Telephone number 01454 862500 Email address office@stannesprimaryschool.gov.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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