St Anne's College Grammar School

The St Anne’s College Grammar School 293 Clifton Drive South, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 1HN

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  The procedures in place to promote the welfare, health and safety of pupils are not strong enough. The school has a safeguarding policy which is available to parents and carers and is published on its website. However, it does not take full account of the most recent guidance issued by the Secretary of State. As a result, some members of staff, including some leaders, are unclear about procedures to manage potential safeguarding issues, such as peer-on-peer abuse and female genital mutilation.  Some members of staff, including some senior leaders and the school’s directors, are not fully confident when discussing key elements of new statutory guidance on safeguarding.  The new designated leader for safeguarding has received up-to-date training. However, directors have not ensured that he has a clear enough understanding of his role and responsibilities. As a result, he is not fully confident when leading

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Main inspection findings

safeguarding in the school.  Leaders ensure that a range of other safeguarding policies are in place to keep pupils safe. Despite this, the agreed policy which prohibits the use of mobile phones by pupils in school is not always reinforced successfully by staff.  Leaders understand the importance of recording concerns. The directors and vice- principal are developing the way in which records on vulnerable children are held. However, the process is not complete. Currently, some records are held by the directors and vice-principal in different places. During the inspection, the chronology of events in a case study looked at by the inspector was unclear. For example, some information was held on emails, other information as electronic files and more as paper copies. As a result, the documentation did not establish a clear chronology of events. This made it more difficult for those in charge to have a clear overview of

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Main inspection findings

provision for this pupil. Paragraph 9, 9(a), 9(b), 9(c), 10  There is a written policy for the management of pupils’ behaviour. The policy clearly outlines the school’s aims and expectations, together with the rewards and sanctions that pupils receive. The roles of the principals, form teachers and parents are outlined. Pupils spoken with during the inspection said that they treat each other fairly and that teachers have a good overview of behaviour.  The school’s anti bullying policy is effective in ensuring that bullying is not an issue at school. Pupils spoken with during the inspection confirmed this view. Pupils also said that they feel the school is a safe place. They said that pupils are kind and that lessons help them to develop a good understanding of how to stay safe in the real world and online. Pupils noted that the school encourages diversity. As a result, name-calling and unkindness are very rare. Pupils said that they feel confident when

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Main inspection findings

talking about differences between people and families. Paragraph 11  The directors have a health and safety policy. The document is brief, focusing to a large degree on general issues linked to pupil welfare, such as the school’s curriculum and school uniform. It does not consider in detail the broader aspects of the health and safety of pupils, visitors and staff in school. The policy does not ensure that relevant health and safety laws are complied with. It does not highlight any delegation of tasks or say who is responsible for which aspects of health and safety. The policy does not outline ways in which the school will establish, monitor and review its measures to meet satisfactory health and safety requirements. The policy does not link clearly enough to the school’s safeguarding policies or risk assessments. Paragraph 12, 13, 14, 15, 16(a), 16(b)  The school complies with relevant fire safety regulations. Fire routes are visible and

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Main inspection findings

free from clutter. Clear signage is in place to enable adults and children to leave the building safely. Annual maintenance of fire-fighting equipment ensures that fire extinguishers are in operational condition. Directors ensured that outstanding work to check portable appliances had been undertaken by the end of the inspection.  Staffing numbers are sufficient to ensure that pupils are supervised well both during lessons and at social times.  The directors ensure that first aid is administered effectively, by the drawing up of a written first aid policy. Staff are available to support pupils if they become distressed.  Leaders have an effective online system to record and evaluate any incident relating to pupils’ behaviour. As a result, this is monitored successfully.  The policy on risk assessment is detailed and thorough. Risk assessments identify potential hazards and include control measures to reduce the risks identified. Risk

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Main inspection findings

assessments exist for a broad range of activities, including the management of outdoor play for children in early years. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed.  The standard relating to the welfare, health and safety of pupils is not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  Directors and some other staff with leadership and management responsibility in school do not demonstrate the broad range of skills and knowledge that are appropriate to their roles in terms of the welfare, health and safety of pupils. As a result, safeguarding procedures are not followed consistently. For example, a staff file analysed during the inspection was incomplete in terms of appropriate recruitment paperwork. This means that leaders cannot be absolutely confident that all members of staff are suitable to work with children. During the inspection, leaders were unable to evidence any up-to-date statutory safer recruitment training that they had undertaken.  As a proprietorial school, there is no governing body. The directors have made use of external support to develop their early years provision. This has been effective. This

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Main inspection findings

was evident in the strengths identified during the inspection of the quality of early years policy and procedures. However, directors have not sought the level of external support that they need to effectively evaluate the strengths of their overall practice, and to identify areas where further improvements are required.  A focus by leaders on pupils’ mental health and emotional well-being is evident in school. For example, in the early years department, certificates for mental health awareness gained by staff are displayed. Teachers ensure that pupils enjoy a range of activities in school to support their mental health. Currently, leaders are developing one of the school’s outdoor spaces to allow pupils to take part in gardening activities.  Older pupils contribute positively to the leadership of the school through their roles as prefects. They value the opportunities that this role provides for them to support and

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Main inspection findings

care for younger pupils in school.  The standard relating to the quality of leadership and management of schools is not met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 5

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 20–22 November 2018

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Information about this school

 St. Anne’s College is an independent co-educational day school for pupils from two to 18 years old. There are three main departments: a Nursery for children aged two to four plus, an infant and junior school for children aged four to 11 and a grammar school for students aged from 11 to 18 plus.  The school’s aims include statements to ‘provide a stimulating and happy environment where children will want to learn’, and to ‘identify individual talent in whatever direction it lies and to nurture its full development’.  There are separate principals for the junior and senior schools. This husband and wife team are also the directors of St Anne’s College Ltd, which is the proprietor.  The school is situated in a large building surrounded by play areas for pupils. The school also makes use of the gardens of two adjacent houses.  The school was last inspected in November 2018. The school was judged to be good.

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Information about this school

 No pupils from St Anne’s College attend alternative provision organised by the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The Department for Education (DfE) requested that Ofsted conduct an emergency inspection to report against Part 3 (welfare, health and safety of pupils) and Part 8 (quality of leadership and management in schools) of the independent school standards.  The inspection was unannounced.  The inspector examined the school’s website and looked at a wide range of documents relating to the school’s procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare, health and safety.  The inspector spoke with a local authority designated officer for safeguarding from Lancashire.  The inspector conducted a tour of the school site with the vice-principal and also observed pupils’ movement around the buildings. The inspector spoke with some pupils formally about provision for their welfare, health and safety.  The inspector held discussions with the two principals and the vice-principal. Discussions also took place with the designated leader for safeguarding and the two

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Information about this inspection

deputy designated leaders.  The inspector spoke with members of staff about safeguarding procedures in school.

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Inspection team

Gill Pritchard, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that–

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school–

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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