St Anne's and Guardian Angels Catholic Primary School

St Anne’s Catholic Primary School Underwood Road, Whitechapel, London E1 5AW

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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’s quiet and steadfast determination has developed an effective senior leadership team. Their efficient teamwork has steadily improved the school since the previous inspection.  Senior leaders have improved the quality of teaching through a range of supportive and challenging observations, feedback and training.  Teachers provide well-structured lessons that help pupils to make good progress.  Pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics has improved since the previous inspection.  Pupils are polite and eager to learn.  Children in the early years have a good start to their school life; they make good progress from very low starting points.  The governing body is ambitious for the school and knows its strengths and weaknesses well.  Senior leaders, including the governing body, have put in place effective strategies for safeguarding.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Senior leaders are aware of the small number of inconsistencies that remain in the quality of teaching. Secure plans are in place to continue the development of good and better teaching.  Leaders and managers do not systematically check and compare the progress of different groups of pupils. This hampers some pupils from making accelerated progress.  The learning environment of the Reception class, particularly the outside, is not sufficiently stimulating and interesting. Many of the resources look faded and tired and do not reflect the variety of the children’s backgrounds.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Devise more rigorous, systematic and precise arrangements to track and analyse pupils’ progress to ensure that: the progress of different groups of pupils is identified in a more timely and efficient manner all groups are considered when comparing pupils’ progress.  Improve provision in the early years, by: ensuring that the outdoor learning equipment is sufficiently stimulating providing appropriate materials, resources and displays to reflect the diversity of the children who attend.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher’s calm and reflective manner has assisted her senior and middle leaders in carrying out a range of effective checks on the quality of teaching. These checks have included looking at pupils’ work, observing their learning in lessons and providing feedback to teachers. As a result, they have an accurate view of what the school does well and what needs to be done to make further improvements.  Staff told inspectors that they had a good range of opportunities to improve their practice. Peer observations and clear and specific feedback on the impact of these on pupils’ learning has ensured that there is a secure level of good teaching and learning.  Middle leaders support their colleagues effectively. In addition, ‘emerging middle leaders’ have been identified. This group of teachers are beginning to provide the school with more capacity to improve by broadening and deepening their skills to lead and manage.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Support for newly qualified teachers is effective. Middle and senior leaders have put in place well-planned activities to train new staff. These activities include in-house training and attendance at local authority courses.  The headteacher has not shied away from using formal systems to challenge teachers who have not come up to scratch.  The curriculum provides a wide range of subjects and topics across the whole school. Music specialists provide hands-on experiences. During the inspection, pupils were observed enjoying a performance of Indian instruments. The additional sports funding is used well to enhance the curriculum with a range of different activities both during and after the school day. The school has secure plans in place to introduce the teaching of Spanish in the very near future.  The school’s faith ethos is used to good effect in the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

cultural development. British values are promoted well through the use of the school council and discussions about voting in the recent referendum. Pupils demonstrate their understanding of being tolerant and harmonious with classmates from different cultures and backgrounds.  Pupil premium funding, including that for the early years, is spent effectively. Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. The youngest children in the Nursery class benefit from full-time education and their older counterparts are either catching up or have caught up with their peers.  The gathering and analysis of information about pupils’ progress is too cumbersome. Leaders and managers, including the governing body, are not able to clearly identify how well all the different groups of pupils are progressing across the different year groups. For example, leaders do not accurately measure the level of progress made by pupils who are with the school throughout the early years, compared to those who start

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

and finish at different times. This hinders pupils’ from making more rapid progress throughout the school.  The governance of the school The governing body is business-like and knows what the school’s strengths and weaknesses are. Governors are ambitious for the school, and for pupils’ achievement in particular. The governing body asks challenging questions of senior leaders and managers. Governors support the work of teachers through their regular visits to understand what happens in classrooms and encourage subject leaders to report at meetings. Governors’ knowledge of what the school does well in key stages 1 and 2 is sound. Governors are clear about what actions are required to improve these areas of the school further. However, there is a lack of clarity with regard to the provision and outcomes in the early years. For example, the governing body does not ensure that the use of assessment information is used to prepare children for key stage 1. In

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

addition, they have not ensured that the early years resources are of the best quality possible.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school works closely with a range of agencies to ensure that the children from the high proportion of families with complex needs are looked after. Systems for checking staff recruitment are well established and checked diligently by the chair of governors and the headteacher. ‘Prevent’ duty training and development has ensured that leaders are well placed to identify any aspects of radicalisation or extremism.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Lessons are well organised and planned. Pupils understand what they need to do to improve their learning.  Teachers confidently demonstrate to pupils how to write and edit different types of text.  In mathematics, teachers plan activities which match pupils’ abilities closely. This means that those pupils who require additional support and structure make confident gains in their understanding of calculations and word problems.  Most-able pupils are provided with challenge to help them make good progress. This was seen in a top set Year 6 lesson where pupils were working on positive and negative number equations. Teachers’ effective questioning also challenges the most able pupils. Pupils have opportunities for complex discussions and reflection in their reading and writing.  Teaching assistants are well trained. They have good relationships with pupils which helps them to give extra support to those pupils who require it.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers are skilled in using positive relationships and low-key behaviour management skills to maintain pupils’ focus on their learning if they become distracted.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are very well supported. Relationships with parents are strong and they are included in their children’s learning.  Most teachers give pupils feedback in line with the school’s policy. Leaders are aware of where the few inconsistencies remain. All leaders and managers are committed to maintaining a strong focus on developing teachers’ skills in providing pupils with clear information about how to improve.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils told inspectors they feel safe and know that adults in the school will help them if they have problems. They are clear about how to stay safe online and what to do if they are worried about what they see.  Pupils who start at the school from different countries are welcomed and helped to settle in quickly.  Pupils are aware of and understand the school values: ‘Ready, Respectful and Safe’.  School council members talk keenly about their contribution to school life.  Nurture groups are used effectively to ensure that pupils are provided with space and time to feel safe and stay calm.  The school uses strategies known as ‘growth mindset’ to help pupils develop resilience and positivity in their learning.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. During lessons, pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations. Pupils listen attentively and are eager to answer questions. They talk sensibly to each other about how to solve problems or improve their writing.  Pupils’ presentation of work has improved dramatically and those spoken to by inspectors showed pride in what they had achieved.  Pupils are aware of the different types of bullying. They told inspectors that they thought behaviour was good. Pupils also thought that the few incidents of bullying that occur are dealt with promptly by staff.  Since the headteacher’s arrival, attendance has improved steadily. The school’s effective work alongside local agencies identifies the small number of families whose children’s attendance is irregular. The school is relentless in keeping in touch with these families. They are notified of the school’s concerns and a range of

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Behaviour

meetings and use of formal warnings are employed.  The school has been particularly effective in reducing the number of pupils who are late. This has been accomplished through regular reminders and effective communication with parents.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 has improved and was in line with the national average in 2015. The key stage 2 results at the end of Year 6 have also increased.  In pupils’ books, it is clear that there has been a significant improvement in the standards of writing and mathematics. The length, depth and quality of writing have improved and a higher proportion of pupils are working at a standard in line with other pupils of a similar age nationally.  Pupils are able to read fluently and with interest. They talk knowledgably about the books they have read and look forward to the ‘Drop Everything and Read’ (DEAR) sessions every week.  Pupils’ ability to read, speak and write a wider range of words has improved. The screening checks show that those pupils who in previous years were below average have caught up with the national expectations.  Those pupils who speak English as an additional language become fluent in English in a relatively short

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Outcomes for pupils are good

period of time. Those children who start at the school at different times during the school year settle in quickly and are provided with additional support.  Disadvantaged pupils have made significant progress. They are working in line with their peers in reading and mathematics and have closed the gap in writing.  Most-able pupils are better identified than in the past. Appropriate challenges which support their progress are a common feature of most lessons. Progress has increased during the school year, especially in mathematics and writing.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress due to the strong and effective support they receive. The progress they make is at least in line with their peers. Teachers and teaching assistants provide strong and clearly structured support.

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Early years provision is good

 Children enjoy their time in the Nursery and Reception class; they are well prepared for Year 1.  Parents are welcomed into the setting and say that the staff help them to understand what their children are learning. Learning journals provide a range of information about how the children are making progress and becoming more independent.  Staff form very positive relationships with the children and are skilled in knowing when to direct learning and when to provide space and time for children to work on their own or with their classmates.  Children enter the early years with skills and knowledge that are well below those seen nationally. Those children who attend the early years from the start of Nursery until the end of Reception make rapid progress. The proportion of children who achieve the knowledge and skills expected for their age has improved over time. The school’s assessment information indicates that this year’s outcomes for children are

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Early years provision is good

higher than in previous years.  Children who do not start at the beginning of term or stay for the full length of time are helped to settle in quickly. As a result, they start to learn promptly.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language make up around a third of the setting. They make good progress. However, the learning environment does not reflect their home backgrounds enough, hindering some of their learning activities.  Children who have special educational needs or disability make good progress because of the effective support of additional adults.  Phonics (letters and the sounds they make) is taught well. Children are confident in how they sound out and write blends of letters and sounds.  Pupil premium funding is used well to ensure the youngest children can attend full time in the Nursery. This additional time in school helps them to settle into good learning and social habits as early as possible.

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Early years provision is good

 The learning environment provides appropriate activities for children, but some resources and materials are faded and coming towards the end of their use.  Use of assessment information at an individual level is used well. However, senior leaders are not meticulous enough in their analysis and comparison of the different groups. This means that the progress of some groups of children is not analysed as promptly as it could be. As a result, this increases the risk of delays in providing additional support.

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School details

Unique reference number 100950 Local authority London Borough of Tower Hamlets Inspection number 10009168

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School details

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 334 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Vicki Bradney-Spencer Headteacher Sheila Mouna Telephone number 020 7247 6327 Website www.stannesschool.org.uk Email address office@st-annes.towerhamlets.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 31 January 2016

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Information about this school

 St Anne’s Catholic Primary School is larger than most primary schools.  The school has a higher than average proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups. The number of pupils whose first language is not English is much higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium is higher than average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is well above average.  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.  The early years provision includes a full-time Nursery class.  There is a breakfast club and after-school provision which is run by the governing body.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on the website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out observations in lessons. Some of these observations were short and focused on a few specific aspects of the school’s work or pupils’ learning. Other observations were for a longer period of time. Most of these were with the senior leaders.  Discussions took place with senior leaders, including governors; subject leaders; parents and pupils. Inspectors also met with representatives from the local authority and from the diocese.  Inspectors scrutinised documentation regarding the school’s website and safeguarding, including the single central register.  The school’s self-evaluation, plans for improvement and analysis of pupils’ progress were assessed.  Pupils’ work in different subjects was analysed.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school was observed by inspectors.  In addition to inspectors talking informally to parents during the inspection, the 36 responses to the

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Information about this inspection

online Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View, were also taken into account.

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Inspection team

John Seal, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Karen Noble Ofsted Inspector Sarah Lack 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

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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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