St Anne's Church of England Primary School

St Anne’s Church of England Primary School Bristol Road, Hewish, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset BS24 6RT

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher, ably supported by other leaders, provides ambitious leadership. Leaders work tirelessly to create a purposeful learning environment across the two school sites, resulting in teaching that is at least good, with pupils achieving well.  Leaders ensure that the school’s vision of ‘learn to love, love to learn’ is at the heart of everything they do. Their commitment to ensuring that everybody succeeds is a significant factor in improvements in pupils’ outcomes since the previous inspection.  Attainment is well above national figures in reading, writing and mathematics in both key stages. The most able pupils are well challenged in their work so that they reach the higher standards.  Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress as they move through the school.  On occasions, some pupils find the work too difficult, especially in key stage 1 writing, which

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

slows their progress.  Pupils feel extremely safe in school because staff look after them very well.  Behaviour in and around school is exemplary. Pupils demonstrate very positive attitudes to their learning and enjoy all aspects of school life.  Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptional. Pupils demonstrate high levels of care and respect for each other’s individuality and background.  The early years provides children with an excellent start to school. The rich environment and high-quality teaching stimulate children’s curiosity extremely well to motivate learning.  Parents are unreserved in their praise for the school. They appreciate the way in which the school works closely with them to promote their children’s learning.  Governors are very well organised in their work and knowledgeable about the school. They ensure that resources are deployed to best effect.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Checks on teaching are fully in place. However, they lack the necessary rigour to raise pupils’ achievement still further.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers consistently take account of the needs of all pupils when planning learning, especially in key stage 1 writing.  Increase the effectiveness of leadership and management by making sure that teachers have a precise understanding of what is expected of them in their efforts to raise pupils’ achievement.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the previous inspection, leaders have greatly enhanced the school’s provision. They have established a dual-campus school, including a large nursery. Leaders are justifiably proud of their hard work to create a unique and successful school.  The inspirational headteacher promotes a strong sense of ambition where ‘learning has no limits’. Effective teaching and high standards of behaviour are the expectation. Staff are proud to work at this school and pupils have a very keen desire to learn.  Senior and middle leaders have introduced effective strategies to improve teaching, especially in mathematics. Staff embrace the wide range of training and professional development opportunities to improve their effectiveness.  Leaders check teaching regularly for the impact it has on pupils’ achievement. They have closely linked the performance of staff to the priorities in the school’s development plans. However, leaders’ checks do not provide precise enough advice for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

teachers to improve their work and further raise outcomes for pupils.  The school’s unique curriculum is thoughtfully planned, providing breadth and balance and a rich variety of extra-curricular clubs. Enrichment activities help to broaden pupils’ horizons while still being centred on the development of key skills.  Leaders’ promotion of fundamental British values is extremely effective and permeates the day-to-day life of the school. Pupils have a secure understanding of democracy as they all contribute their ideas to the school parliament sessions. Pupils live out the school’s values, demonstrating empathy and kindness in their very effective relationships. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain.  An exceptional feature of the school is the way that pupils and staff are respectful of diversity and appreciate that everyone is different. Leaders, staff and pupils do not tolerate prejudiced behaviour and everyone is treated fairly, whatever their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

background. Very carefully planned support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is successful in promoting good progress.  Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used to provide well-targeted support. Leaders’ successful deployment of funds ensures that disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are successful in their learning and their personal development.  Leaders use the physical education and sport premium effectively, providing a wide variety of sporting opportunities for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Staff develop their skills alongside specialist teachers and coaches.  Parents are extremely positive about the work of the school and would thoroughly recommend it. One parent summed up the views of many by writing, ‘My children are thriving in this environment; a fantastic school with brilliant teachers and well-

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

led’.  The school has forged effective links with the local authority. For example, initiatives to improve teaching in mathematics have been successful in raising standards. The school works closely with the local authority adviser for pupils from Gypsy/Roma/Traveller heritage. This work is helping leaders to gain the trust of families and improve attendance.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are ambitious for the school and are extremely well organised. They are knowledgeable about the school’s performance because they are kept well informed by the headteacher and her leadership team. They are not afraid to challenge senior leaders and check the school’s work for themselves. They understand how well different groups of pupils achieve when compared to others nationally.  Governors set strategic targets for the headteacher’s performance, in consultation with an external adviser, to meet the school’s priorities. They know how the performance of staff is managed to reward effective practice and how any underperformance is tackled promptly.  Governors manage the school’s budget closely to ensure that funds support improvements to teaching and learning. They carefully monitor the use of additional funding, for example the pupil premium and the sports grant. This enables governors

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Governance of the school

to make sure that spending is improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and developing sport in the school.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have created a culture of vigilance where the safety of pupils and the support the school provides for pupils’ welfare are of high priority. Leaders check regularly that their policies and systems are followed and are effective. Recruitment and vetting procedures for appointing staff follow statutory guidance stringently. The headteacher and governor responsible for safeguarding check frequently that the school’s single central record is maintained accurately.  Leaders ensure that all staff and governors receive the appropriate training to identify possible signs of risk and harm. As a result, staff are very clear about how to report any concerns about pupils. Records show that staff are up to date in their training, including in recognising the dangers of extremism and terrorism. All risks are thoroughly assessed by leaders and updated regularly, for example with regard to fire

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Safeguarding

safety, first aid and educational visits.  Leaders and staff know the families of children who attend St Anne’s very well, especially those whose circumstances make them vulnerable. This enables staff to keep a close eye on their well-being. Leaders work effectively with other agencies to promote regular attendance for all groups of pupils. Parents agreed wholeheartedly that their children are safe in school and are very well cared for by staff.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching is consistently good. Teachers demonstrate a thorough understanding of the subjects they teach. They use information from assessments to accurately plan work that meets pupils’ needs and increases their progress. The school’s ‘learning without limits’ strategy inspires pupils to be successful by developing their self-assurance and confidence to take on new challenges.  Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and plan work that is both demanding and enjoyable. Pupils quickly become absorbed in their learning and the most able are stretched by the challenges set. For example, the most able pupils in Year 6 were engrossed in their solving of multiplication problems in mathematics, using reasoning skills well to explain their thinking.  Teachers and teaching assistants work in close partnership to provide carefully tailored support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They help

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

pupils manage their feelings and build their self-esteem effectively.  Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able, benefit from well-focused support. This ensures that they make good progress and achieve as well as their classmates.  Leaders have ensured that the teaching of mathematics has improved since the previous inspection. More pupils are reaching beyond the expected standard for their age than has previously been the case. Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to apply their learning and extend their skills across all aspects of mathematics. This is leading to faster rates of progress.  Reading is taught well. Younger pupils quickly acquire the necessary skills in phonics to become fluent readers. Older pupils read widely across a range of literature, and develop good comprehension skills.  The teaching of writing is generally effective. Teachers provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to practise their skills across other subjects. However, on

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

occasions, the work set is too difficult for some pupils, particularly in key stage 1. This limits pupils’ progress in acquiring the basic skills of handwriting, punctuation and spelling.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Staff have fostered strong relationships with pupils and these contribute greatly to the pupils’ enjoyment of school. Pupils are overwhelmingly positive that they feel safe and happy in school. Parents appreciate the excellent care their children receive.  Pupils undertake a range of responsibilities very sensibly. For example, all Year 6 pupils act as leaders of the school’s ‘parliament’. They carry their duties out conscientiously and develop excellent skills in leading debates and discussions. This prepares them extremely well to be responsible citizens of the future.  Pupils understand very clearly the different sorts of bullying, including racist name- calling and derogatory language. They say that bullying seldom happens but they have confidence in staff to sort out any problems quickly and effectively.

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Personal development and welfare

 Online safety has high priority and pupils are taught how to stay safe online both in and out of school. Pupils know not to give out personal information and to report cyber bullying should it occur. Pupils are trained to look out for any potential risks to their safety, for example when they go out on educational visits.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils’ exemplary conduct and readiness to learn reflect the high expectations placed on them by leaders and staff. In conversation, pupils are very enthusiastic about school, saying how much they enjoy taking part in all the enrichment activities and extra-curricular clubs on offer.  Pupils cooperate extremely well together, settle quickly to work and listen respectfully. They enjoy the increased levels of challenge in their work and are eager to learn. They concentrate for sustained periods and discuss their ideas in a very mature way.  Pupils talk respectfully to staff and to each other. They show good empathy, particularly toward pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As one girl said, ‘Everyone cares for you here and supports you to do better.’  Behaviour around the school in the playground and the dining room is exemplary. School records show that there are very few incidents of poor behaviour. There have

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Behaviour

been marked improvements in the behaviour of a small number of pupils. This has eliminated the need for exclusions.  Well-targeted support is having a positive impact and, consequently, attendance has improved quickly over the past year. Leaders strive hard to find effective ways of supporting families from different communities to ensure that pupils come to school regularly.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Achievement is good for all groups of pupils across the curriculum. Progress in mathematics, in particular, has improved since the previous inspection. Attainment in English and mathematics is well above national figures in key stage 1 and key stage 2 at both the expected and higher standards. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Leaders’ effective use of the pupil premium enables disadvantaged pupils to achieve as well as others from similar starting points. These pupils make increasingly strong progress as the help they receive is carefully targeted to meet their needs.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good and sometimes rapid progress. Support is carefully planned to speed up academic progress and build self-esteem. This leads to pupils becoming fully included in school life.  The most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make good progress.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

This is because teachers plan work which requires pupils to extend their thinking and apply their knowledge well. Pupils are able to explain their ideas clearly and discuss their work confidently.  Pupils read fluently and with good understanding. In 2017, the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check was above the national average. Pupils use their phonic knowledge proficiently to read unknown words. The most able readers are challenged well by the range of literature on offer in school.  Pupils demonstrate effective calculation skills and a good understanding of number. They particularly enjoy lessons where they have to use their reasoning skills to solve problems which they do with increasing success. For example, the London Eye investigation really captured pupils’ interest and enabled them to apply a wide range of mathematical skills effectively to solve problems about the Eye.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils write regularly and at length across subjects. Older pupils respond well to the challenging tasks, using a wide range of vocabulary and a strong command of grammar to good effect. However, sometimes the challenges are too difficult for some pupils, particularly in key stage 1. This limits their progress.

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Early years provision Outstanding

 The early years leader and the nursery manager supervise the provision across the two sites extremely well. They keep the learning environment under constant review to ensure that it continues to excite and stimulate children’s curiosity.  Staff begin each day by greeting children and their parents; this ensures that a very strong bond develops between home and school. Parents are full of praise for the care shown by staff in making each child feel special.  Children start in the Reception Year with the knowledge and skills typically seen for their age. They listen well and talk confidently to staff and other children. These skills help them to settle well into their new routines and they make an excellent start to school.  During their year in the Reception classes, children make strong progress across all areas of learning. By the time they enter Year 1, the proportion of children achieving a

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Early years provision Outstanding

good level of development is well above the national average.  Staff have an excellent understanding of how young children learn. The classrooms, both inside and out, are well organised and the learning activities are stimulating and well matched to children’s needs and interests. Children show high levels of engagement and are able to concentrate for sustained periods of time. For example, a group of boys were engrossed in building a home for a toy hedgehog from the class story book. They developed their social and language skills extremely well as they played.  Staff observe children carefully to accurately assess their levels of understanding. They use their observations to ask just the right questions to extend children’s learning and help them explain their thinking. The most able children are continually challenged to think further. This helps them to make rapid progress.  Leaders regularly check on progress and use this information to plan learning that

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Early years provision Outstanding

meets the needs of disadvantaged children extremely well. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified at an early stage. The school works very effectively with other agencies to ensure that these children’s needs are met effectively, for example with speech and language development.  Children develop a good understanding of how to play safely, to keep themselves and others safe and stay healthy. They wash their hands, for example, after making clay hedgehogs, and use craft knives for cutting with clear levels of independence and confidence. Children’s behaviour both inside and outside is excellent.  The early years leader places a strong emphasis on children’s safety and welfare. Staff are well trained in safeguarding and supervise children attentively at all times.

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School details

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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address school.enquiries@stannesprimaryschool.co. uk Date of previous inspection 21  22 February 2013

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school met the government’s floor standards in 2017. These set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  This school is larger than the average-sized primary school. Pupils are organised in 11 classes across the two school sites; Reception to Year 6 at Hewish and Reception to Year 3 at West Wick. All classes are single-age. The nursery provision is situated on the West Wick site.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  A small proportion of pupils are of Traveller/Gypsy/Roma heritage.  The headteacher provides support for the leadership of another local primary school.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection took place over two days. Inspectors observed teaching and learning across the two school sites. Some observations were in conjunction with the headteacher and senior leaders. In addition, inspectors made visits to classrooms, the dining hall and the playground. They also attended an assembly.  Meetings were held with pupils, governors and school leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with two advisers who support the school from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 71 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and to parents’ written comments, and consulted informally with parents at the start of the school day. They also took account of the 40 responses to the Ofsted staff questionnaire.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plans. They examined information on current pupils’ progress, minutes of the governing body meetings, safeguarding procedures and the

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Information about this inspection

plans for the use of the physical education and sport premium.  Inspectors listened to pupils read, talked to them in classrooms and evaluated samples of their work.

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Inspection team

Sandra Woodman, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Maddy Kent 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

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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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