St Anne's CofE Primary School

St Anne's CE Primary School Trinity Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 3ES

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The strong leadership of the headteacher is based on a clear vision for school improvement that is shared by staff.  Achievement is good and standards are improving over time throughout the school. The proportions of pupils reaching at and beyond expectations for their age in reading, writing and mathematics by the time pupils leave the school are increasing.  Pupils make good progress from their starting points, including the most able pupils, those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs.  Pupils swiftly learn phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) because the teaching of this subject is outstanding. As a result, pupils rapidly develop their reading skills. They read widely and for pleasure.  Provision in the early years is good. Children thrive in a warm, welcoming environment and have a flying start to their education.  Teaching is good. Teachers are particularly skilled

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

in questioning pupils to develop their thinking skills and promote their confidence as independent learners. Pupils think hard about the best approach to work things out and are keen to learn.  Pupils behave exceptionally well, both in lessons and when they are playing together. They are consistently polite and thoughtful.  The school cares exceptionally well for pupils and this has a positive impact on their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Consequently, pupils care very well for each other and feel very safe.  The governing body accurately evaluates the school’s effectiveness and knows what needs to be done to improve still further. Governors give leaders good support but also challenge them about the school’s performance.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Leaders do not always make the best use of all the detailed information available to them about pupils’ progress to compare the school’s performance with other schools nationally.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills and knowledge in other subjects across the curriculum.  The teaching of handwriting is not consistent throughout the school so that work in books is not always presented to the highest standard.

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Information about this inspection

 Learning was observed in a range of lessons throughout the school.  Meetings were held with school leaders and with six governors. Inspectors also met a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors met a group of 10 pupils and also spoke informally to other pupils in lessons and during break and lunchtimes.  Inspectors looked at the work pupils were doing in lessons and in their books over time. They listened to pupils read and talked to them about their enjoyment of reading.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and examined a number of documents concerning pupils’ current achievement and progress, development plans and information about teachers’ performance. They also looked at records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements. The minutes of governing body meetings were also considered.  Inspectors spoke to a number of parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the 57

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Information about this inspection

responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and the school’s own survey of parents’ views. Inspectors also took account of the 14 responses to the staff questionnaire completed during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Gillian Hunter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those supported by pupil premium, is below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to provide support for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for those looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average .  About 10% of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds which is below the national average. The percentage of pupils who speak English as an additional language is less than 1% which is well below the national average.  Pupils attend the Nursery on a part-time basis either mornings or afternoons. Some children attend full time and pay for additional hours. The Reception class attends on a full-time basis.  The school met the government’s current floor standards in 2014, which are the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club for pupils during term time as well as full- time care during the school holidays.  The deputy headteacher left the school in April 2015 and a member of the leadership team is in an acting capacity until the new deputy headteacher joins the school in September 2015. Two staff members are temporarily leading on special educational needs until September 2015.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide more opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills and knowledge in other subjects across the curriculum.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the teaching of handwriting throughout the school so that work in pupils’ books is always presented to the highest standard.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that the extensive information held by senior leaders about the performance of pupils in school is available in a clear format and in summary form to show how the school’s performance compares with other schools nationally.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is well led by the headteacher. Together with other senior leaders, she has successfully raised the performance of pupils and staff since the previous inspection. She has high expectations and has established a good climate for learning in which pupils behave exceptionally well and teaching is good. Staff morale is high and staff have good opportunities to develop their professional skills. Senior leaders set good examples for others to follow.  Leaders work well together as a team and complement each other’s skills. They have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They use their knowledge well to identify areas for development, such as raising achievement in writing and having a relentless focus on teaching so that it improves. The headteacher has acted swiftly to reverse the dip in pupils’ achievement in 2013 and has ensured that the typical trend of improvement has been restored.

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The leadership and management are good

 The quality of teaching is carefully monitored. The management of staff performance is robust and staff are made accountable for the progress of their pupils.  Leaders keep regular and detailed checks on the attainment and progress of individual pupils. However, the information held by school leaders on the performance of pupils is not always fully analysed and made accessible in summary form to enable all members of the school community to evaluate precisely how well the pupils in their areas are doing in order to seek further improvement.  The structure of leadership effectively covers all aspects of the school’s work. Middle leaders have developed their skills in leading improvements in their subjects and areas of responsibility. They know how well pupils are doing and are having an increasingly strong impact on pupils’ achievement. They play a key role in creating plans for improvement and in checking on the progress of these plans. The middle leaders

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The leadership and management are good

who are temporarily responsible for leading on the work with pupils who have special educational needs are well supported by senior leaders and take every opportunity to develop further as future leaders.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very well and pupils learn to respect themselves and others. There is no discrimination. All pupils are valued as individuals, relationships are very strong and everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve well.  The new curriculum has been carefully planned so that it not only has an appropriate focus on English and mathematics but also other subjects in the curriculum. Through the curriculum and all the other activities that the school offers, pupils develop a very good understanding of fundamental British values and this prepares them very well for life in modern Britain. The active school council is an elected body and gives

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The leadership and management are good

pupils an early experience of democracy in action.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils by providing good quality one-to-one and small group support. The impact can be seen in the good and sometimes outstanding progress these pupils make and in the narrowing of the gaps in attainment between these pupils and others, both in school and nationally.  The school has made good use of its primary sports funding. It is used to widen opportunities for pupils to take part in sporting activities, and to improve teachers’ expertise through working with specialist coaches and attending courses. This increase in activities contributes well to pupils’ healthier lifestyles.  The local authority provides light touch support for this good school.  Leaders are very effective in ensuring that child protection and safeguarding have a high priority and that all requirements are met. Leaders make sure that all adults are vigilant in challenging any prejudice.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: - Governors share the leaders’ determination to make the school the best it can be. They are well informed by leaders and keep themselves abreast of all aspects of school life through regular visits. They pay close attention in particular to the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress. Through accurate and informed questioning, they hold leaders to account for the performance of the school. They understand school data and how the school is performing over time. However, the data held about the progress of pupils currently in the school are not always presented clearly enough for them to make comparisons between groups of pupils within the school and nationally. - Governors bring a range of skills which they use to very good effect and where there are any gaps in their understanding they make good use of any training that is available. They use their knowledge of the quality of teaching to oversee the management of teachers’ performance and they ensure that there

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The leadership and management are good

is a clear link with any salary increases. They make sure that all statutory requirements are met, especially with regard to safeguarding and child protection. Governors oversee the spending of pupil premium and sport funds and are aware of the positive effect these funds have on eligible pupils’ achievement and all pupils’ physical well-being.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They are very polite and courteous, and treat others respectfully. Pupils encourage and support each other at playtime and lunchtime, making sure there is always someone for each child to play with.  Pupils have extremely positive attitudes to learning and a desire to do their best, which means they are able to learn without disruption. They relish the challenge of difficult tasks and problem solving; they know that even if they make mistakes it will help them to learn more effectively and find solutions.  Adults and pupils get on well together because they respect each other. In lessons, pupils are totally absorbed in their work and want to do their best.  Children in the early years gain exceptional social skills because staff place great importance on developing these skills right from the start.  Pupils are proud of their school. It is a calm and caring community which encourages thoughtfulness and

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Behaviour

reflection both in lessons and assemblies.  Although a few pupils do not present their work in books as well as they could, the vast majority do and pupils appreciate the high-quality displays of their good work around the school.  Pupils attend school regularly. There are excellent systems in place to monitor and follow up any absences.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say they feel very safe at school; parents agree with their children’s view about this. Parents are confident that the school keeps their children safe. The school site is very secure and staff and other adults are rigorously checked prior to working in the school.  Pupils have confidence that any concerns they may have will be followed up and addressed thoroughly. They say that the staff are very kind and they really trust them.  Pupils are aware of different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying, and can explain how they can keep themselves safe online.  The care given to potentially vulnerable pupils and their families when they need support is of high quality and is deeply rooted in the school’s values. These pupils grow in confidence because they know they are valued members of the school community.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good overall and is sometimes outstanding. Teachers have high expectations of the standards pupils can achieve. They plan English and mathematics lessons that build securely on pupils’ skills. As a result, pupils make good progress. They set additional challenges for pupils to use their skills to solve problems. Pupils respond enthusiastically to these challenges.  Good teaching has improved standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, pupils are not given enough opportunity to write independently and put their well-developed grammar, punctuation and spelling skills to good use across other subjects throughout the curriculum. Pupils do not consistently produce work of the same high standard in other subjects as they do in English lessons.  In lessons, pupils are grouped carefully so the work can be tailored more closely to their individual abilities. Teachers and teaching assistants provide effective support when working with small groups and

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The quality of teaching is good

this leads to pupils making rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers’ questioning is a strength. In all classes, teachers ask questions that make pupils think hard and encourage them to explain and justify their answers. Teachers also encourage pupils to discuss with each other so they can test out their ideas and draw their own conclusions. In many lessons, pupils assessed their partner’s work, discussing where improvements could be made.  Extremely effective use is made of the highly skilled team of teaching assistants in supporting the specific learning needs of pupils to improve their work and make rapid progress. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. Teaching assistants are now outstanding in helping individual pupils, or groups of pupils of all abilities, to develop their understanding and gain confidence in their ability to succeed.  The teaching of early reading and writing skills is exceptional. Pupils are taught phonics (letters and the

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The quality of teaching is good

sounds they make) extremely well and use them every day in their reading and writing.  Focused teaching of mathematics has improved standards throughout the school. Regular sessions to improve mental and written calculation skills have helped pupils to make rapid progress and achieve high standards. Teaching assistants make a strong contribution to the development of these skills in their work with groups of pupils.  The teaching of handwriting is not consistent throughout the school and consequently, while pupils take a pride in their work, the presentation of work in books is not always as good as it could be. School leaders are aware of this and have plans in place to improve in this area.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive good support from teachers and teaching assistants so they are able to complete work which is matched to their abilities. Pupils who speak

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The quality of teaching is good

English as an additional language are given valuable specialist help in developing their literacy and mathematics skills well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics has improved and the results of national tests were above average overall in 2014. Inspection evidence for pupils currently in Year 6 shows that this trend of improvement is continuing. The proportion of pupils reaching at and beyond expected levels for their age is already higher than that in the 2014 results.  At the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics show steady improvement over time and continue to be above average in writing and mathematics and significantly above in reading. This represents good progress from children’s average starting points when they enter the school.  Progress across Key Stage 2 is good and improving in all year groups and for all groups of pupils.  Reading skills are well developed from an early age. Strong teaching of phonics means that the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard at the end of Year 1 is above average. Those who do not reach

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The achievement of pupils is good

the expected standard by the end of Year 1 are supported well to catch up by the end of Year 2. Reading skills then develop rapidly in Key Stage 2 where frequent opportunities for independent or supported reading allow pupils to accelerate at their own best rate.  Pupils’ progress and attainment in mathematics are improving. In all classes pupils focus very well on understanding the links between different elements in their calculations. As a result, they work accurately and use the most efficient methods to solve problems. Pupils who sometimes find it difficult to grasp mathematical concepts receive good support through a range of practical activities that help them to understand and to become more confident in applying their learning.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. In the 2014 statutory assessments for Year 6, the disadvantaged pupils were about a term and a half behind other pupils in the school and other pupils

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The achievement of pupils is good

nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers are now more aware of any gaps in their learning and act swiftly to make sure that they catch up. As a result, the gaps in their standards compared with those achieved by other pupils are closing rapidly. Disadvantaged pupils currently in Year 6 are doing just as well or even better than other pupils nationally and they are in line with other pupils in the school.  Pupils with special educational needs and those from minority ethnic backgrounds receive good support from teachers and highly skilled teaching assistants. Their needs are met in full so that they make good progress from their individual starting points.  The most able pupils are encouraged to complete more difficult work in lessons and in additional small group sessions, to make sure they make good progress and reach their full potential. Pupils appreciate this and enjoy the challenge so they are confident to keep persevering and trying to achieve the highest

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The achievement of pupils is good

level possible. The proportion of these pupils reaching the higher standards expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics is increasing at the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and is above average.

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The early years provision is good

 Children enter the Nursery with development and skills that are typical for their age overall. They make a very positive start to school because effective relationships are quickly established with parents and this helps children settle well so that they quickly begin to make good progress in all areas of learning.  The proportion who achieved a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year was above average in 2014 and continues to improve. Children are well prepared to enter Key Stage 1.  Teaching is good. Children enjoy their learning because teachers plan together with teaching assistants making sure that activities are interesting and enjoyable to engage all children.  Staff check children’s progress regularly, and use this information to plan tasks and activities to further develop children’s learning. Any disadvantaged or vulnerable children are well supported and make good

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The early years provision is good

progress.  Children quickly adapt to the school’s positive and caring ethos and this contributes to their outstanding behaviour. They show positive attitudes to learning in the extremely safe and caring environment. They listen carefully to adults; concentrate on tasks, and work well together sharing and showing concern for others.  The leadership of the early years is effective. Staff are well trained and know how well children are doing. This is helping to raise children’s achievement. Good practice is shared. Staff meet regularly to plan activities and to check assessments together. They have a helpful and detailed action plan to support further improvements.

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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 106343 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 461736

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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 240 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Bev Hobson Headteacher Jane Brahney Date of previous school inspection 26 June 2012 Telephone number 0161 973 7181 Fax number 0161 973 7769 Email address Stannes.admin@trafford.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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