Lift Anglesey

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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This is a good school

 The headteacher and other leaders are resolute in their determination to improve the academy. As a result of their work, attendance, behaviour, the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress have all improved considerably.  The assistant headteachers make regular checks on teaching. Their advice and guidance to staff are leading to continuing improvements in teaching.  The academy’s work to keep pupils safe and to promote equality and respect permeates its curriculum and its day-to-day life.  Good teaching is helping pupils to make better progress than in the past. Most pupils are now making good progress from their different starting points.  Phonics and reading are given a high priority and are taught well.  Teaching assistants work closely with teachers. This helps them to be clear about their role and means that they provide effective support in class and with individuals and groups.  Pupils behave well in lessons and in the

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This is a good school

playground. They apply themselves well to their work and are proud of their achievements.  The management board has an accurate understanding of the academy’s strengths and checks that leaders are tackling the remaining areas for improvement effectively.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although progress is accelerating strongly, pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 is below that of pupils nationally.  Despite recent improvements, the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is above average.  Teachers in the early years are not assessing children’s progress across all the areas of learning.  The academy’s system for recording and analysing assessment information is very new and leaders and staff are not all fully confident in using it to record and analyse pupils’ achievement.

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Academy leaders and the management board should: make sure that progress continues to accelerate and that pupils make up for previous underachievement so that their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is at least in line with attainment nationally, by ensuring that the best practice in teaching which exists within the academy becomes the norm ensure that all adults in the early years are skilled and confident in assessing learning across all the areas of learning and use this information to plan teaching and provision that helps children to make good progress across the curriculum further embed the new assessment system so that all leaders and teachers can use it accurately and efficiently to record and analyse pupils’ achievement further reduce persistent absence so that all pupils attend the academy regularly and attendance is at least as good as the attendance of pupils nationally.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher’s determined focus on improving teaching and learning is having a strong and positive impact on pupils’ progress. The headteacher, management board and all staff are keenly aware of the need to raise standards further. The headteacher’s vision for the academy is captured by the academy’s motto: ‘Making our best better’. Leaders and staff share this ambition and expectations are high.  Leaders make regular checks on the quality of teaching by visiting lessons, looking at the work in pupils’ books and reviewing information about pupils’ progress. Leaders provide good quality support and training, which have been successful in helping teachers improve their skills. When necessary, the headteacher takes robust action to tackle underperformance. Leaders and the management board ensure that only effective teaching is rewarded by increases in pay.  The assistant headteachers, mostly appointed since the previous full inspection, are developing their skills

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

well. They are having a positive impact on the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils. For example, the Key Stage 1 leader has successfully ensured that all adults in the early years and in Key Stage 1 are skilled and effective in teaching phonics.  When the leader responsible for mathematics identified that teachers’ feedback to pupils, including marking, was not consistently helping pupils to improve their work, he provided training and examples of good practice for teachers. He worked with teachers and set clear expectations for improvement. He then checked that the recommended improvements had been made across the academy. Observations in lessons and the work in pupils’ books now show that teachers’ feedback to pupils is in line with the academy’s policy and is helping them to make good progress in mathematics.  The leader in charge of coordinating provision for pupils with special educational needs joined the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

academy in September. She has quickly gained a comprehensive understanding of pupils’ needs and of strengths and weaknesses in the progress of this group of pupils across the academy. She has reviewed the targeted support provided for individuals and small groups and has provided training for staff to ensure that these interventions are delivered effectively. She is working with different agencies to secure appropriate advice and resources for pupils with a range of needs. Her actions are leading to improved progress and, where appropriate, improved behaviour for pupils with disabilities and special educational needs.  Leaders have ensured that keeping children safe is given the highest priority by all staff. Regular updates ensure that staff stay up to date with current guidance; for example on keeping pupils safe from extremism and radicalisation. Consequently, staff have a very clear understanding of the risks facing

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

pupils and are vigilant. They report any concerns using the academy’s well-established procedures.  The deputy headteacher leads the academy’s work on safeguarding and on promoting good attendance and behaviour. She ensures that records in these areas are thorough and up to date. She analyses behaviour and attendance information and uses it to prioritise areas for improvement. The deputy headteacher coordinated a successful whole-school initiative to improve attendance. Overall attendance is now much closer to the average for all schools nationally. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent has decreased but remains above average.  The assistant headteacher responsible for the wider curriculum has ensured that a broad range of subjects are taught across the academy. He makes regular checks to ensure that pupils are making good progress in different subjects by looking at books and talking to pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The curriculum is enhanced by a good range of extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities, which include sporting and creative activities. For example, all pupils in Years 4 and 5 have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. During the inspection, Year 4 pupils were observed following a simple score and playing their trumpets and trombones with enthusiasm.  Leaders and the management board have ensured that the promotion of British values, such as respect and tolerance, is threaded throughout the curriculum. Teachers take opportunities to discuss difficult issues such as the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, and challenge misconceptions and stereotypes about faith, gender and ethnicity. Older pupils were able to talk confidently about elections for school council members. They explained to an inspector that this is called democracy.  The use of sports coaches funded by the physical education and sports premium has resulted in an

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

increase in the number of pupils participating in extra-curricular activities, both during lunchtimes and after school. The funding has also enabled the academy to become part of a cluster of schools which are collaborating to provide increased opportunities for pupils to participate in inter-school sports competitions.  The management board has checked that leaders are targeting pupil premium funding effectively. Some of the funding was used to employ a bilingual support assistant in order to promote the importance of good attendance with eligible families who are new arrivals from Eastern Europe. This has resulted in increased attendance and improved progress for this group of pupils. Pupil premium funding has also been used effectively to provide additional targeted teaching for eligible pupils who were underachieving in mathematics. This is helping these pupils to catch up.  The large majority of parents who spoke to inspectors, or completed the academy’s survey or Parent View

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

were confident that if they or their child had a problem, the headteacher and staff would resolve it.  Leaders have recently introduced a new system for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress against the raised expectations of the new primary curriculum. The new system is developing well and teachers are using it to help them to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and plan the next steps for teaching. The headteacher has ensured that teachers work together to check that their judgements are accurate. Leaders are using the system to analyse the progress and attainment of different groups but recognise the need to find the most effective and efficient ways of using and presenting this information.  The effectiveness of assessment arrangements in some areas of learning in the Reception classes has dipped during the absence of the early years leader. This leader, who has previously ensured that assessment is secure across the areas of learning, is due to return to work very soon.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school: The management board has been strengthened this academic year with the addition of several new members with extensive expertise in school leadership and school improvement. The management board provides a good level of challenge. Members ask probing questions and request additional information to hold leaders to account for their work. For example, they recently requested a report on the impact of pupil premium funding. A named governor with particular responsibility for safeguarding visited the academy to check that safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. Governors have also requested information to help them evaluate the success of leaders’ actions to improve attendance. The chair of the management board is a regional director of education for the academy’s sponsor Academies Enterprise Trust (AET). She is a regular visitor to the academy and has an accurate understanding of strengths and weaknesses in teaching and achievement. She has effectively

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

brokered support from other schools in the trust, for example to work with the mathematics leader in order to improve teaching. An associate headteacher from the trust has also supported school improvement. The board recognises that minutes of their meetings do not always capture discussions about members’ visits to the academy or leaders’ responses to questions posed by the board. This is being addressed.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching has improved considerably and is now good. As a result, pupils are making more rapid progress than in the past and attainment is rising.  In the most effective teaching, where learning is most rapid, teachers have very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and attention and ensure that no learning time is wasted.  Most teachers know their pupils well and use their good subject knowledge to plan lessons which provide just the right amount of challenge for pupils of different abilities. For example, in Year 6, where teaching is particularly strong, teachers check pupils’ mathematics work carefully and quickly address misconceptions by working with groups of children to re-teach the methods or concepts that pupils are struggling with. Pupils who have completed tasks successfully are given challenge activities which deepen their understanding and require them to apply their learning to solve complex problems. As a result,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

pupils in Year 6 are making rapid progress in mathematics.  Teachers have a strong focus on improving pupils’ rapid recall of basic number facts. This is helping pupils to become more confident when applying this knowledge to more complex calculations and when solving problems. For example, in Year 3, pupils were able to correctly use their knowledge of number to read unmarked intervals when using a set of scales.  The teaching of phonics has improved considerably. Teachers and teaching assistants use a consistent and well-structured approach that ensures that younger pupils complete daily activities which enable them to recognise, read and write the sounds represented by different letter combinations. Pupils are able to apply their developing phonics skills well in their reading and spelling.  The teaching of reading is rightly given a high priority and there are frequent opportunities for pupils to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

read in school. Teachers use their knowledge of children’s reading abilities to set activities which develop their reading skills well. For example, some pupils were asked to use a text to work out the meaning of tricky vocabulary. Others were required to make sensible inferences about a character in a story. Pupils are strongly encouraged to read regularly at home and are proud of the badges that they receive as rewards.  As a result of effective training and strong partnerships with teachers, teaching assistants have a clear understanding of their role in lessons. They work effectively alongside teachers to support and extend learning for different groups of pupils, including those with disabilities and special educational needs, those at early stages in learning to speak English and the most-able pupils.  Teachers make regular and precise assessments of pupils’ achievement. Leaders have introduced a new

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

system for assessment in Key Stage 1 and 2 and teachers frequently work together to ensure that their assessments are accurate.  In almost all classes, teachers use assessment information very well to build on what pupils already know, understand and can do. However, occasionally teachers set work which does not take account of pupils’ previous learning and this leads to a lack of challenge, which slows pupils’ progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The academy’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are able to talk confidently about their learning and about the strategies they can use to learn successfully. For example, they know what to do if they are stuck. Pupils explained that ‘making mistakes is part of learning but you have to keep at it’.  Pupils have a good understanding of how they can keep themselves safe. For example, they have a good awareness of risks when using the internet.  Pupils’ work in personal, social and health education lessons and in religious education helps them develop a strong awareness of right and wrong. Pupils are respectful of different opinions and learn strategies which help them to resolve conflicts.  Pupils have a good awareness of different kinds of bullying and say that bullying is rare at Anglesey Primary. They are confident that adults will help them to sort out any problems.

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Personal development and welfare

 School records confirm that the number of bullying incidents have decreased considerably.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils move calmly and sensibly around the academy. They are very polite and show respect for adults and for one another.  Routines are well established so that transitions between activities are smooth. As a result, there is very little lost learning time.  The very large majority of pupils are keen to learn, and apply themselves with enthusiasm to their work.  Children who have previously found it difficult to manage their behaviour and maintain concentration are well supported by staff and, as a result, disruptions to learning are rare.  The playground is well organised and well supervised and a good range of activities are provided for pupils with different interests. As a result, behaviour is good and pupils say that they enjoy their breaktimes.  Attendance has improved this academic year and is now much closer to the average for all schools nationally. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent has also reduced but remains above

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Weak teaching in the past means that overall attainment for pupils leaving the academy in 2015 was low in comparison to all schools nationally.  In 2015, the proportion of Year 6 pupils who made at least expected progress in mathematics during their time in Key Stage 2 was below average. These pupils made accelerated progress when they were in Year 6 but this was not enough to make up for underachievement in the past.  The progress of pupils currently in the school is accelerating strongly. The work in pupils’ reading, writing and mathematics books shows that the large majority of pupils are now making at least expected progress and increasing numbers of pupils are making more rapid progress. This is helping them to make up for weak teaching and previous underachievement. However, further work is required to ensure that they reach the standards expected for their age by the time they leave Year 6.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 The proportion of children reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception has more than tripled since 2013. In 2015, it was in line with the average nationally.  Pupils’ attainment in the Year 1 phonics check has also improved considerably. In 2015, the proportion of pupils reaching the required standard was equal to the average nationally. The proportion of pupils reaching the standard by the end of Year 2 exceeded the national average. Pupils apply their phonics skills well in reading and spelling.  A continuing focus on the teaching of reading is enabling pupils to make good progress. The number of children who make expected progress or better in reading has risen substantially. In 2015, the proportion of pupils leaving Year 6 who had made better than expected progress in reading was above the average nationally. This improving trend is continuing. The proportion of pupils with a reading age which is above

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

their chronological age has increased considerably.  There is clear evidence of improving standards in writing across the academy. The proportion of pupils making expected progress or better in writing across Key Stage 2 has risen and was in line with the national average in 2015. The work in pupils’ books shows that the large majority of pupils currently in the academy can write effectively for different purposes across the curriculum. The improvement in pupils’ phonics knowledge is helping them with their spelling. Pupils are increasingly able to apply their growing knowledge of punctuation and grammar correctly in their writing.  Achievement in mathematics is improving strongly across the academy. A determined focus on teaching basic skills in mathematics is having a clear and positive impact on progress in this subject. Pupils are increasingly confident when recalling number facts and can use an appropriate range of calculation

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

strategies accurately. For example, in Year 6, pupils were applying their good calculation skills to successfully tackle challenging mathematical problems.  The work set for the most-able pupils provides a good level of challenge so that they deepen and extend their learning. Good support for pupils with disabilities and special educational needs is also resulting in improved progress for this group of pupils.  There are small variations but no significant differences in the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils in comparison to other pupils, and the progress of disadvantaged pupils is improving at a similar rate to other pupils. There are similar, small fluctuations in the relative progress of boys and girls and of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds but no overall pattern.  Teachers and teaching assistants provide effective teaching and support for pupils with English as an additional language, including those at early stages in learning to speak English. As a result, the large

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

majority of these pupils are making good progress.  The work in pupils’ books shows that progress is accelerating across the curriculum. Pupils can talk confidently about their learning in a range of subjects. For example, pupils talk about different faiths with interest and respect. Pupils have good opportunities to develop their investigation skills in science. For example, many pupils in Year 2 demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of fair testing.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 The absence of the early years leader and another member of staff has had a detrimental impact on provision and assessment in Reception.  The attainment of boys in some areas of learning, and children’s attainment in understanding the world and physical development, were identified as areas of relative weakness at the start of the school year. Teachers have not gathered enough information to allow them to make checks on children’s progress in these areas to determine whether these weaknesses have been overcome. This lack of assessment in some areas of learning means that teachers are not able to plan the next steps for children’s learning effectively.  As a result of the gaps in teachers’ assessments, leaders are not able to evaluate whether children currently in the Reception classes are making good progress across all areas of learning.  Prior to her absence, the early years leader had successfully led significant improvements in teaching and

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Early years provision requires improvement

provision in the Reception classes so that children leaving the Reception classes in 2015 were well prepared for Year 1. School information shows that judgements for these children at the end of Reception were based on a broad range of evidence across the areas of learning. This leader is due to return to the school very shortly.  In other areas of learning, including communication, reading, writing and mathematics, assessments have been made regularly. In these areas, the evidence presented by the academy, and inspectors’ own observations and discussions with children, indicate that children are making good progress.  Teaching assistants are deployed effectively to support individuals and groups, including those with disabilities and special educational needs and those at early stages in learning to speak English. For example, a teaching assistant skilfully used a parachute game to develop children’s vocabulary relating to

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Early years provision requires improvement

position and movement.  All adults in the setting place a high priority on the development of communication skills. Leaders have used additional government funding to introduce a speech and language programme, which is helping children to develop their speaking and listening skills well.  Children make good progress in the development of early reading skills because the teaching of phonics is effective.  Children’s behaviour is good. Children listen to adults, follow instructions and cooperate well with one another, for example, by taking turns and helping one another with the fastenings on their coats.  Teachers engage well with parents so that they are well supported in helping their children learn, particularly in early reading and communication skills.  Leaders ensure that children are safe in the Reception classes. For example, staff have appropriate first aid qualifications to meet the needs of young children and the use of cameras and mobile phones is

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Early years provision requires improvement

restricted. Children know and follow the rules for playing safely in the classrooms and in the outdoor area.  Parents who spoke with inspectors said that they were confident that their children are safe and well looked after in the Reception classes.

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School details

Unique reference number 138982 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10004240 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 601 Appropriate authority Interim executive board Chair Julie Taylor Headteacher Charlotte Hopkins Telephone number 01283 563811 Website www.angleseyprimaryacademy.org Email address contactus@angleseyprimaryacademy.org Date of previous inspection 11–12 December 2013

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The large majority of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds. Around three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium (additional government funding) is a little above the average nationally.  There are no looked after children.  A breakfast club is managed by the academy.  The proportion of pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs is above average.  A considerable number of pupils join the school at times other than in Reception.  The school does not meet the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed lessons or part lessons in all classes in the school. Two observations were made jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors held meetings with pupils, staff, school leaders, and members of the management board, including a representative of the academy sponsor.  Inspectors talked to pupils about their work and listened to some children read.  Inspectors looked at children’s work across a range of subjects.  A wide range of documents was reviewed, including records relating to safeguarding procedures, attendance, behaviour and exclusion. Inspectors also examined leaders’ and governors’ evaluation of how well the school is doing and their plans for further improvement. In addition, inspectors reviewed the school’s systems for checking pupils’ progress.  Inspectors took account of the 11 responses to the Ofsted online parent questionnaire Parent View and of the school’s own survey of parents. Inspectors also spoke informally to parents at the start and end of

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Information about this inspection

the school day to gather their views.  The views of staff were gathered through informal discussions and through a meeting with a cross section of staff.

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Inspection team

Morag Kophamel, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Susan Blackburn Ofsted Inspector Peter Box Ofsted Inspector Melanie Callaghan Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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