St Anne's Catholic Primary School

St Anne’s Catholic Primary School Lightwood Road, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 7AN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders’ checking of the school’s performance has not been effective in providing an accurate picture of the school. Plans for improvement are too vague to hold others fully to account.  Leaders have not ensured that there is a reliable and consistent assessment system in place. As a result, teachers’ expectations of the standards pupils can achieve are not high enough and progress is insufficient.  Senior leaders have not ensured that subject leaders are effective in their roles. The introduction and impact of new teaching strategies have not been monitored well. There are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.  Occasionally, leaders do not respond quickly enough to reduce the number of incidents of poor behaviour and bullying. The behaviour policy is not applied consistently.  Pupils understanding of how to reason in mathematics has not been developed well enough. Disadvantaged pupils and those who

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

are the most able do not make enough progress in mathematics.  In the early years, adults do not intervene effectively in children’s play in order to deepen and develop understanding

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils feel safe due to the caring ethos and strong values within the school. They know how to keep themselves safe, including online.  Pupils take pride in their work and show respect for the ideas of others. They are polite and kind to each other and to adults.  Pupils understand how to stay healthy. Leaders have used funds from the physical education and sport premium effectively to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles.  The governing body has a clearer understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement than at the time of the previous inspection. Governors are now providing greater challenge to senior leaders.  Pupils make good progress in reading in the early years and key stage 1. They are motivated to read widely, including at home.  The enrichment curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to learn about life in modern Britain and encourages pupils to be ambitious for their future.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in order to increase pupils’ progress and raise standards, especially in reading, writing and mathematics, by: – ensuring that teachers use assessment information about pupils’ skills and knowledge to set work at the correct level of difficulty – giving pupils more opportunities to develop reasoning skills and to solve problems in mathematics – raising teachers’ expectations of the amount of progress pupils should make, especially for the most able and pupils who are disadvantaged.  Improve the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils, by: – ensuring that the school’s behaviour policy is applied consistently in all lessons, in order to minimise disruption to learning – checking regularly with parents and pupils that they are satisfied with the way that incidents of bullying have been handled.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, including governance, by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– ensuring that there are suitable systems in place to measure, track and evaluate pupils’ progress – ensuring that assessment information is used to accelerate progress of all pupils and groups of pupils, such as the disadvantaged, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and the most able – providing training and professional development to bring about improvements to teaching and assessment, particularly in writing and mathematics – making regular checks on the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress and holding teachers to account for their work – developing the leadership skills of subject leaders so they can improve the quality of teaching in their subjects and support senior leaders to raise standards – ensuring that all information on the school website is updated regularly so that parents and other stakeholders are fully informed about the work and the life of the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning in the early years, by: – ensuring that adults intervene when appropriate in children’s play, deepening learning by asking questions and responding to children’s interest – ensuring that all children make good progress and an increasing proportion achieve or exceed expectations for their age. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management can be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Since the last inspection, senior leaders have not secured consistent improvement in the quality of teaching. Their monitoring of teaching and learning has not been focused enough to secure the necessary improvement to accelerate pupils’ progress and raise standards.  Senior and subject leaders do not have a clear understanding of assessment information. Teachers are not using consistent methods to assess pupils’ learning; as a result, there is an unclear picture of pupils’ progress.  Leaders have not done enough to ensure that teachers make effective use of assessment information at the start of the academic year so that pupils have continuity and progression in their learning. Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 1, in particular, is not built on and progress is undermined. As a result, the expectation of what pupils can do at the beginning of the school year is not high enough.  Senior and subject leaders’ plans lack the detail necessary to ensure that their actions

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

secure improvements. The targets that leaders set for teachers and pupils to achieve are not ambitious enough because their expectations are too low. Consequently, underperformance of both staff and pupils has not been challenged with sufficient rigour.  Following guidance provided by a local teaching school and the local authority, leaders have recently redesigned the curriculum for English and mathematics. This change has not been well managed by senior leaders and as a result, there are inconsistences in the quality of teaching throughout the school.  Leaders have not evaluated the use of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively. Leaders have not targeted individual need well enough. Consequently, pupils have not made enough progress.  Leaders responsible for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities do not check frequently enough on the progress that pupils are making. The additional

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

funding for these pupils is not being used effectively because it is not focused sharply enough on putting in place appropriate support to help them achieve to the best of their ability.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Teachers make cross-curricular links which are helping pupils make connections in their learning between subjects. For example, older pupils were applying their mathematics skills in geography when learning about peaks and mountain ranges.  The development of pupils’ spiritual education is a strength. Pupils are encouraged to be reflective and creative in their work.  The aim of the enrichment curriculum is to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain and to be ambitious for their future. Leaders encourage pupils to think about what they might want to be when they leave school. Professionals such as firefighters, the police and the priest talk to pupils about their jobs.  The additional funds provided through the physical education and sports premium are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

used well. Leaders recognise the importance of exposing pupils to a wide range of activities that promote physical development for all, including sports that they may not already know, such as boccia.  Support provided by the local authority and a teaching school has targeted areas for development. Since the last inspection, specialist leaders of education have worked with subject leaders to develop provision in the broader curriculum, English, mathematics and the early years. While this has been effective in strengthening the quality of teaching in the early years and key stage 1, the impact is yet to be seen in the improvement of pupils’ progress.

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Governance of the school

 The governing body has been restructured since the last inspection, with new members joining. Governors have completed governor training and are developing their skills to hold the headteacher to account.  The governing body is aware of the current strengths and weaknesses of the school. Governors have begun to tackle the recent decline in behaviour and are supporting the headteacher in her approach to reduce the number of incidents of poor behaviour. This includes the appointment of a pupil support assistant, which is helping to improve pupils’ behaviour at lunchtimes.  Governors have responded well to feedback from parents and have taken action to improve communication with parents. They have overseen the remodelling of the website and now hold ‘open door’ sessions for parents to report concerns directly to the governing body. Changes have been well received by parents and have improved communication.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are providing challenge to the headteacher; however, information presented to the governing body sometimes lacks detail and does not focus enough on the progress and attainment of different groups of pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Procedures to reduce pupils’ risk of harm are thorough. Leaders work well with parents and external agencies to make sure pupils are supported well and concerns are addressed swiftly. Staff know the pupils well and are vigilant in recognising concerns.  Staff, including lunchtime supervisors and office staff, receive regular training in safeguarding and child protection, and are aware of their responsibilities. The designated safeguarding lead attends monthly safeguarding update forums to ensure that their knowledge is up to date.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching requires improvement because it is too inconsistent, resulting in pupils making insufficient progress, especially in key stage 2. Since the previous inspection, expectations of what pupils can achieve has not been high enough.  Too often pupils are not challenged by the tasks they are set. Assessment information is not being used well enough to ensure that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and the most able, make secure progress.  Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to teaching mathematics. While this new approach aims to challenge pupils to use mathematical reasoning to solve problems, work is not being set at the right level and many pupils are completing work that is too easy for them.  The use of additional teachers and teaching assistants is not sharp enough to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The impact of support is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

not measured carefully and does not focus on raising attainment; because of this, the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is not rapid enough.  A cross-curricular approach to learning is developing pupils’ writing skills across the curriculum. Pupils are expected to write at length linked to a topic, for example information texts about volcanoes. However, writing tasks are often the same for all pupils, which can result in the middle ability and the most able pupils not being suitably challenged to improve their writing skills.  Pupils in key stage 2 are encouraged to choose their own reading books. Teachers do not monitor the choices pupils make and they often choose books that they have read before. Pupils are not challenged to try different texts appropriate to their ability.  The teaching of reading in key stage 1 and the early years is effective. Pupils are able

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

to use their knowledge of phonics to read unfamiliar words, and enjoy the range of books available. Pupils are encouraged to read regularly at home and their reading records show that they are motivated to read and are well supported by their parents.  Where teaching is more effective, teachers have higher expectations of pupils and challenge them to think more carefully. This is particularly evident in science where pupils are encouraged to use correct vocabulary and reasoning when explaining scientific processes, for example, in key stage 1 where pupils were learning about the life cycle of a butterfly.  A consistent approach to handwriting is evident through the school. Children begin to learn correct letter formation in the early years and this is developed as they move up the school. Presentation in books is generally good, and most pupils show pride in their work.  The enrichment curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to extend their learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

Pupils learn first aid and resuscitation, an appreciation of different genres of music and how the actions of people impact on the environment.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Pupils lack independence when working and do not have a good understanding of how to be successful learners. Pupils are over reliant on adults to direct their learning.  In some classes, as the pitch of work is too easy, pupils complete the minimum amount of work expected of them. They do not challenge themselves to achieve more and are not motivated to complete extension tasks.  Pupils say that bullying does sometimes occur. Of the parents who responded to the online questionnaire, the majority felt that bullying was resolved well; however, a sizeable minority disagreed with this. This included concerns about the way in which bullying was handled by the school.  Senior leaders’ documentation shows that bullying incidents are recorded and that issues are followed up. Nonetheless, this has led to a high number of fixed-term

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Personal development and welfare

exclusions that have taken place since the previous inspection.  Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures and have a good understanding of different types of family. They understand that other people’s lives may not be the same as their own and are accepting of differences.  Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online and pupils feel safe. Pupils know how to live healthy lifestyles. They appreciate the range of extra-curricular activities available, including choir, drama and athletics clubs.  Leaders have established a strong, caring ethos linked to the school’s values.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Senior leaders have not ensured that adults apply the behaviour policy consistently. Some adults do not tackle poor behaviour quickly enough. Pupils who disengage are not encouraged to get back to their work straight away; this can occasionally distract other pupils.  Too often pupils are sent out or take themselves out of class. It was observed that some adults do not respond immediately when incidents arise, which can result in situations not being resolved quickly.  Leaders are proactive in securing good attendance of pupils. Leaders’ effective monitoring of persistent absence means families receive timely support from home tutors and the education welfare officer.  At breaktimes, pupils play well together. They are polite and respectful of visitors, greeting them, waiting on stairs and holding doors for them.  Leaders have recognised that there are too many instances of unacceptable behaviour

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Behaviour

and have recently employed a pupil support assistant to assist pupils who sometimes find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. As a result, pupils’ behaviour at lunchtimes and during the afternoons is improving.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils’ outcomes require improvement because pupils are not making good progress from their starting points throughout the school. This is particularly the case in key stage 2. In 2016, the school’s results did not meet the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ progress in mathematics across key stage 2 has been significantly below the national average in each of the last two years, especially for middle ability pupils and the most able pupils. Pupils’ workbooks show that these groups of pupils are not being suitably challenged so they are not able to make enough progress to achieve what they should by the end of key stage 2. Despite more focus being placed on helping pupils to develop their ability to reason in mathematics, pupils’ skills in this aspect remain underdeveloped.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, do less well than other pupils. Senior leaders are not making effective use of pupil premium funding to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make good progress.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities do not make sufficient progress from their starting points. Support is not well focused and the rates of progress are not monitored effectively by leaders.  Standards of attainment at the end of key stage 2 in 2015 matched the national average. Similarly, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined in 2016 was broadly average. Consequently, since the last inspection, pupils are leaving the school suitably prepared for the next stage of their education. Nevertheless, pupils of middle ability and the most able pupils are not achieving the standards that they are capable of. Lower-attaining pupils make better

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

progress than their peers, but they are still performing less well than lower-attaining pupils nationally.  Pupils make good progress in writing in key stage 1; the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in 2016 was above the national average. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard at the end of key stage 2 was slightly below average in 2015 and 2016. Writing in pupils’ workbooks shows that teachers are not providing sufficient guidance or opportunities to improve pupils’ writing.  Pupils make good progress in reading in the early years and key stage 1, where attainment is in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard at the end of key stage two was average in 2015, but was below the national average in 2016. As pupils in key stage 2 are not challenged in their choice of books, middle- and high-ability pupils are not making as much progress as they

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

should.  In 2016, key stage 1 outcomes were broadly in line with national expectations. Teachers’ assessments show that pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 in 2017 remain broadly average.  The proportion of children who reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has improved over that last four years, and is now in line with the national average.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 The early years requires improvement because children are not making consistently good progress across the areas of learning. Children enter the early years with knowledge and skills that are broadly typical for their age; the number achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year is broadly average. The large majority of children are well prepared for Year 1.  At times, the curriculum and activities are not demanding enough and do not help children to make good progress. When not directed by adults, children can be passive and not take part in the activities available. As a result, progress slows.  The balance of provision for boys and girls in the early years is not consistent. Leaders have targeted the progress of boys and now the proportion of boys leaving the early years at the expected standard is broadly in line with the national average. The proportion of girls leaving the early years at the expected standard has declined this

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Early years provision Requires improvement

academic year.  Children are kind and caring to each other and are keen to share their thoughts and ideas. When directed by adults they are inquisitive and eager to learn. When not working directly with adults, some children do not stay focused on tasks and can be easily distracted, running from one activity to another.  Children demonstrate a good understanding of phonics and can use this knowledge in their reading and writing. When children are writing, adults encourage them to think about the different sounds within words and to select the correct sound when spelling complex words.  Safeguarding in the early years is effective. Teachers and teaching assistants have a good understanding of children’s needs, and act quickly to put appropriate support in place.  In adult-led activities, teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations of children. Adults encourage children to use the correct vocabulary and prompt them to

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Early years provision Requires improvement

think more deeply about their learning. For example, when making cakes and jelly children were encouraged to think about what steam was, what happens when jelly dissolves and what makes cake mix turn from liquid to solid.  Teachers and teaching assistants communicate well with parents, providing information about how children can be supported at home. Close links between home and school mean children settle quickly and any additional needs are acted upon quickly and support put in place.  The early years leader has accurately assessed strengths and weaknesses in provision. She has correctly identified the need to further develop the outdoor area to provide more opportunities for writing and mathematics. She has carefully monitored the progress of pupils in phonics and has put support in place so children make rapid progress in this aspect of communication, language and literacy.  The early years leader has a clear view of the progress made by disadvantaged

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Early years provision Requires improvement

children and has targeted support to meet their needs. As a result, disadvantaged children make secure progress. A higher proportion of disadvantaged children leave the early years at the expected standard for their age than in most other year groups.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.st-annesrc.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Email address headteacher@st-annesrc.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6–7 May 2015

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Information about this school

 St Anne’s Catholic Primary school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school has received formal support from the local authority and an Ashbourne Dove Valley teaching school.  Pupils are taught in 11 classes. Children in the Reception Year are taught full time and in two classes, with their own outdoor provision.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is half the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well below the national average.  The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about governance, including disclosure of business and pecuniary interests, the special educational needs and/or disabilities report and reference to the local authority local

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Information about this school

offer on its website.  The school does not meet the current government floor standards.  The school meets the Department for Education’s definition of a coasting school based on key stage 2 performance results in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed learning in a number of lessons, some of which were observed jointly with the headteacher. They observed the teaching of early reading skills and listened to pupils read. The inspectors also talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work in all year groups to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, subject and middle leaders and representatives of the governing body. The inspectors also spoke to the local authority link adviser.  The inspectors spoke to parents informally and considered the 64 responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View).  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including: the school’s own self- evaluation and plans for improvement; the school’s most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils; information relating to the health, safety and

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding of pupils; the school’s most recent data relating to the attendance of pupils; and minutes from meetings of the governing body.  The inspectors considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Helen Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Dale 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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 .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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