St Anselm's Catholic Primary School

St Anselm’s Catholic Primary School Church Avenue, Southall, London UB2 4BH

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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

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher, working in effective partnership with the deputy headteacher, has improved the school significantly so that it is now a good school.  Leaders and governors have secured school improvement because they know their school well. They understand its strengths and what remains to be done to make it outstanding.  Leaders have improved the quality of teaching, so that it is now good. This has improved outcomes for pupils throughout the school.  Leaders have devised new and effective ways of checking pupils’ outcomes. They record these outcomes in clear and easily understandable ways. They share the records with governors, who thus have the information they need to ask searching questions. In this way governors share in driving the school forwards.  Leaders and governors make good use of additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils and for sport in primary schools.  Teaching is purposeful and effective. Leaders guide

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This is a good school

new teachers well, so that they quickly gain the skills they need to enable pupils to learn well.  Teaching promotes good learning. Teachers clear up pupils’ misconceptions effectively. Teaching assistants are deployed well. Feedback, both oral and written, helps pupils understand how to improve their work.  Pupils are friendly, confident and polite. They respect others. They keep their books neat and the school tidy. They are kind and thoughtful to one another. The school looks after them well and keeps them safe.  Pupils’ outcomes are good. They make consistently good progress in their learning. Disadvantaged pupils achieve well, and there is little difference between their achievement and that of other pupils. Pupils with a range of additional needs also achieve well.  Children in the Nursery and Reception classes are taught well and looked after caringly. They are taught their phonics (sounds and letters) well. The

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This is a good school

indoor and outdoor play areas are inviting, enabling children to learn a range of physical and creative skills.  The school engages well with parents. They appreciate its strong Christian values.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching does not always ensure that the most- able pupils are set work pitched at a high enough level to enable them to make the most rapid progress they can. Leaders do not always secure better performance for the most able.  Leaders’ plans for school improvement cover the right priorities, but do not focus sharply enough on the detail of how improvements are to be made and by when.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that leaders and teachers expect the most from pupils, particularly the most able, and that teachers challenge them with demanding tasks, so that they make the most rapid progress they can.  Ensure that the school’s plans for the future have a sharp focus on precise actions and deadlines to secure rapid improvement.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders and governors are ambitious to make the school as good as possible. They have energised staff and pupils with a positive attitude that has improved the school, so that it is now good in all areas of its work.  Leaders, working effectively with governors, know their school well. This strong understanding enables leaders to judge accurately what the school does well and what remains to be done before the school can be judged to be outstanding.  The headteacher and her deputy have introduced effective new ways of working. For example, their analysis of pupils’ outcomes has improved, so that they check attainment and progress of a wider range of groups of pupils than formerly. They present this information to governors in clear and easily understood formats, enabling governors to ask searching questions and check that pupils are making good progress. Leaders gather details on the achievement of the most-able pupils in every year group

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

and ensure that their progress is sound. However, leaders do not always ensure that the teaching enables the most-able pupils to make the fastest progress they can.  Leaders are working with a teaching force that is largely new since the previous inspection. Leaders, including subject leaders, manage changes of staff well. Teachers are given helpful support and guidance that enables them quickly to deliver good teaching. This enables pupils to learn well.  Staff responses to the Ofsted survey of their views indicate that they back their leaders strongly. A typical comment was ‘Children’s happiness and well-being are at the forefront of the school’s ethos.’ Those who have been in post since the previous inspection agree that the school has improved a great deal.  The school has very good relations with parents, welcoming them into the school so that they can learn about its work. There was a low response to the Ofsted online survey of parents’ views. However, parents

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

who spoke to inspectors, or who responded to the school’s own recent survey, confirmed that they very much value the school’s strong Christian culture.  Leaders and governors make good use of additional government funding to promote good outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders provide well-targeted support for these pupils and check regularly to ensure that the funding continues to deliver good results. Therefore, very little difference between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils is evident.  Leaders and governors make good use of additional government funding to promote primary sports and physical education. This has resulted in a wide take-up of sport among pupils who might otherwise have been reluctant to participate. Leaders ensure that the benefits of the funding will continue in the future by providing training for class teachers in the skills needed to deliver good-quality sports teaching.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders’ plans for future improvement are carefully considered and have the right priorities, based on honest self-evaluation. However, plans are not always written sharply enough to show exactly what needs to be done and how quickly these improvements are likely to achieve success. This means that staff and governors, as well as those visiting the school to assess its work, are not always clear enough about what the school needs to do to become outstanding.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, with a strong focus on literacy and numeracy, while providing pupils with a rich variety of topics to learn and write about. Pupils’ topic books contain a great deal of information and research into science, history and geography themes, and many of these are explored imaginatively in their English books.  Pupils enjoy a variety of activities, such as trips to museums or places of worship for various religions, to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

encourage them to deepen their understanding of what they are learning in class.  The school’s values, such as being kind and respecting everyone, run deep in the school community, which is a caring and nurturing place. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well, so that they understand their place in the world and what they can do to make it better. For example, pupils are taking energetic action to resist plans to destroy mature trees adjoining the school. The letters they have written to the local council, and meetings they have held with the local Member of Parliament, show how well the school prepares them for growing up confidently in modern democratic Britain.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school – Governance has benefited considerably from the external review of its performance. Governors now have a sharper understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They understand more precisely how pupils at the school compare in their performance with those nationally. These changes enable governors to make a significant contribution to school improvement, for example by checking that disadvantaged pupils continue to perform as well as other pupils. – Governors visit classes and look through pupils’ books to see for themselves how well pupils are learning. They understand the processes by which staff are appraised. Governors secure good value for money from the teaching force by ensuring that there is a close link between teachers’ movement along the pay scales and pupils’ progress. – Governors are closely involved in the life of the school. Some run clubs, such as the mixed-gender

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

netball club, enabling governors to play an active part in ensuring that the sports premium is used successfully. – Governors are well trained in safeguarding. In this way they keep pupils safe and secure. They ensure that the school’s culture is free from intolerance or extremism of any kind, and that pupils grow up with strong values, prepared for life in modern Britain.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The background of those who work with children is carefully checked. The site is secure. Parents confirm that their children are safe and looked after well at school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching is consistently good and, as a result, pupils make good progress in their learning in reading, writing and mathematics, as well as in other subjects.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and use it to ask incisive questions that promote deeper thinking. For example, in one Year 5 English lesson, pupils were busily engaged in researching the moon landings of 1969. Prompted by the teacher’s questioning, pupils were able to relate the quotation ‘one small step for a man’ to the concept of how learning takes place, one small step at a time.  Teachers sort out pupils’ misconceptions quickly, so that effective learning can continue. For example, in one Year 1 class on pupils’ understanding of phonics, pupils learning the ‘o’ sound were momentarily confused by the pronunciation of ‘some’. The teacher noticed this and speedily established that the word did not in fact have a ‘magic e’, but was a ‘tricky word’.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The experienced team of teaching assistants is deployed well to support all pupils, but particularly those who are in danger of falling behind. As a result, they make a good impact on the learning of pupils they support, enabling them to make good progress in line with the others.  Teachers’ feedback, whether oral or written, is helpful to pupils, clearly establishing what they have learned well, and setting out ways they can improve their work.  Teachers effectively promote pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. The enthusiastic subject leaders have introduced many initiatives that are bearing fruit. In reading, for example, the ‘book in a day’ initiative is promoting good results: groups of pupils each read a chapter of a book and then come together as a whole class to present the chapters and discuss the book. Such measures are leading to a new enthusiasm for reading, which was apparent from the comments of pupils who read aloud to inspectors.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Writing skills are particularly strong throughout the school. Pupils’ spelling and grammar skills are good, because the teaching is effective in ensuring that pupils understand the basics of spelling and grammar. They also have good opportunities to practise writing on a range of interesting topics.  The teaching of mathematics is effective. Pupils are clear about what they are learning and follow challenging programmes that enable them to make good progress in what they know, understand and can do in mathematics. In one Year 6 mathematics lesson, for example, pupils calculated fractions rapidly, because the teacher’s energetic questioning was skilful in ensuring that no pupil was overlooked and that each contributed.  The level of challenge overall is good rather than exceptional. There are occasions when too little is expected of pupils, particularly the most able, and, as a result, they do not always make the most rapid

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are looked after well. Pupils know whom to turn to if they have any worries. They are able to make good use of the skills of the school counsellor who attends for one day a week. Drop-in counselling sessions enable pupils to share any concerns they may have. Worry-boxes encourage pupils to bring any concerns discreetly to the attention of adults. Such initiatives result in pupils being calm and resilient.  Pupils told inspectors that there is no bullying at the school. A scrutiny of the school’s behaviour logs confirms that incidents of unkindness between pupils are few and far between.  Pupils feel safe at the school. They told inspectors that the securely locked gates and the fire drills make them feel safe. The school gives them the skills to keep themselves safe. Pupils told inspectors that they benefit from advice on how to protect themselves from strangers or when using computers.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils develop good self-awareness, because the school encourages them to think of others and in this way to understand themselves. For example, in one assembly, pupils learned to care about the homeless, which taught them to be sympathetic to those less fortunate than themselves.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are polite to visitors and considerate towards others. They respect the views of others and get on well together.  The school’s strong Christian values underpin pupils’ conduct. The rules about honesty, respect and trying one’s best encourage good behaviour. Pupils understand the school’s reward systems and told inspectors that these are helping behaviour to improve.  Pupils are proud of their work and keep their books neat. Classrooms are tidy, with pupils’ work well displayed. Key information and technical vocabulary are prominently shown and used successfully by the pupils to help them help themselves. This orderliness gives pupils pride in their work.  Pupils show their enjoyment of school through their attendance, which is currently above average and on a rising trend.  Pupils are attentive, respectful and ready to answer questions. Behaviour in assembly is very good.

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Behaviour

Behaviour in lessons is generally good. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and are cooperative. Occasionally, however, particularly when the pace of learning slows, some lose concentration.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Published information for 2015 on the progress of pupils from the end of Year 2 to the end of Year 6 shows extremely strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics, putting the school in the top 10% of schools nationally. Inspectors examined school figures on the progress of current pupils in each year group. They also looked at pupils’ work and talked to pupils about their learning. The inspection team judged that pupils are making good, but not exceptional, progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Year 6 pupils make rapid progress through teaching that is very effective in meeting their needs. Elsewhere in the school, pupils make good progress in their learning. The influx of new, though experienced, class teachers since the last inspection has improved the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning overall.  Pupils are prepared well for secondary school, particularly in literacy and numeracy skills. Attainment of

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Outcomes for pupils are good

pupils at the end of Year 6 is typically above average in all subjects, and particularly strong in writing, spelling and grammar. This is a particular success story for pupils who are learning English as an additional language. Many arrive at the school with limited skills in English. Through effective support, they make strong progress and do as well as, or better than, those who speak English as a first language.  Disadvantaged pupils achieve well at the school. Published data and school figures show that the attainment and progress of these pupils at least match, and sometimes exceed, those of other pupils. Disadvantaged pupils achieve well because leaders and governors put in place additional support that is regularly evaluated to ensure that they make good progress.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are given effective support in lessons and withdrawal groups. As a result, these pupils make good progress in line with others.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The school provides effectively for pupils at risk of falling behind in their learning. These pupils are supported well by teachers and teaching assistants, and make good progress in their learning.  The school recognises that the most-able pupils need more challenge in their learning in order to achieve as well as they can. Clubs and additional activities for the most able engage them and broaden their interests. On a day-to-day basis, however, tasks given to these pupils sometimes lack the challenge they need to stretch them in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The early years provision is good

 The early years provision gives children an enjoyable and nurturing start to their schooling. Children in both the Nursery and Reception classes have good opportunities to play together and to explore the many inviting tasks in their separate and shared spaces.  The provision is well led. Leaders understand the strengths of the provision, and what needs to be done to make it outstanding. The early years leader has made many improvements since the previous inspection. The indoor and outdoor play areas are now rich in resources and activities to help children learn. Ways of checking children’s learning have improved, so that adults provide swift and accurate support for any child at risk of falling behind.  Teaching in the early years provision is consistently good. Adults promote children’s speaking and listening skills well, encouraging them to think about their learning and answer questions as fully as they can. For

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The early years provision is good

example, children were learning the concept of symmetry by completing a drawing of half of their own face. The adult asked one child, ‘How do you know what to draw?’ The child thought about it and said, with a real air of discovery, ‘I look at my face in the mirror.’  Because phonics is taught well in the Nursery class, children are beginning to read and write simple words. Many Reception children can already form letters correctly and write well. Early number skills are also given good attention. Children quickly learn to count, add up and take away, and to write simple number sentences.  Children’s learning is not outstanding, however. Not all independent learning activities for children have a sharp enough focus on promoting language and number skills, for example. At such times, learning is not as rapid as it might be, particularly for the most-able children who need extra challenge.  Children’s outcomes are good in the early years. The proportion of children achieving a good level of

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The early years provision is good

development by the end of Reception has been steadily rising for the past three years. Predictions for children currently in the early years indicate that this rise is likely to continue.  The additional early years funding for disadvantaged children is used well, so that they make the same progress in their learning as other children, and sometimes better.  All groups do well, including children who have special educational needs or disability and those who speak English as an additional language. This is because each child is seen as an individual and provided with additional support where needed.  Children settle quickly and behave well, supported by adults who know them well and are vigilant in ensuring their health, safety and well-being. Nursery and Reception children readily take turns, share equipment and persist in their learning.  Parents are welcomed into the early years provision. There is an open-door policy. Parents are invited to

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The early years provision is good

regular ‘stay and play’ sessions, where they find out for themselves what their children are learning. The ‘wow boards’ show strong parental engagement. One comment, for example, praised a child for ‘tidying up at home’, showing effective home–school links.  Transition arrangements are strong. By the time children move into Year 1, they are already familiar with their new teacher and classroom, and have already sampled their new routines.

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School details

Unique reference number 101922 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 10011920 This inspection 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 250 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gill Wickham Headteacher Ruth Sykes Telephone number 020 8574 3906 Website www.stanselmscatholicprimaryschool.co.uk Email address office@st-anselms.ealing.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 February 2014

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Information about this school

 St Anselm’s is an average-sized primary school.  An average proportion of pupils are eligible for additional government funding, known as the pupil premium. The funding is used to support pupils who are eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after.  Most pupils come from a wide range of minority ethnic heritages. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is lower than average.  Since the previous inspection, there have been considerable changes in staffing.  There is no breakfast club and after-school care provision.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited classes throughout the school and observed pupils’ learning in a range of subjects. The headteacher joined inspectors on several of their classroom visits.  Inspectors spoke to a number of pupils, listened to them read and looked at samples of their work. An inspector met a group of pupils to hear how they felt about the school. Inspectors took into account five responses to the online survey of pupils’ views.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, including those who hold responsibility for specific subjects.  A meeting was held with the chair of the governing body and two other governors. Four governors attended the final feedback meeting.  A meeting was held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors spoke to a number of parents during the inspection. There were 13 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and inspectors took these into account. Inspectors also considered the

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Information about this inspection

school’s own recent survey of parents’ views.  Inspectors took into consideration the 17 responses to an online questionnaire for members of staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents. These included the school’s own views of how well it is doing, its plans for the future and minutes of meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors considered a range of evidence on pupils’ attainment and progress. They also examined safeguarding information, and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safety.

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Inspection team

Natalia Power, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Meena Walia 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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