St Anne's CofE VC Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Anne’s CofE VC Primary School Wyre Hill, Bewdley, Worcestershire DY12 2UQ

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Outcome

St Anne’s CofE VC Primary School continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, staff and governors care about all pupils and want the best for them. They have designed a curriculum based on the school’s vision: ‘You are the light of the world’. The curriculum promotes the school’s values well. These include, for example, respect, commitment and wisdom.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy school. They know that teachers expect them to try hard. Most live up to these expectations. Adults teach pupils that sometimes they will find work difficult, so they may not get everything right first time. This builds pupils’ confidence to keep trying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some staff do not apply the school rules of ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’ consistently. Although behaviour has improved this term, in a few classes some pupils lose concentration. This disrupts the learning of other pupils. Pupils say that there is some bullying but most staff sort this out quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The new subject leaders have not yet had time to develop their leadership skills. Leaders have plans to address this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some parents are unhappy with the information they receive about their children’s education. Leaders recognise that they need to communicate more effectively.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders care deeply about pupils and want the best for them. They have designed a curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils. They ensure that pupils learn the content in the right order to build up their knowledge and skills.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders ensure that pupils have experiences that help to develop them as rounded individuals. There is a strong focus on developing pupils’ independence and personal 12–13 February 2020

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skills. Pupils enjoy visits, such as to the local museum. Pupils in Years 4 and 6 look forward to residential experiences. The wide range of clubs add to pupils’ enjoyment of school. Pupils raise money for charity. They take responsibility as members of the school council and act as play leaders. Some have recently completed a Junior Cadet course, working with the local police. Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures. They know the difference between right and wrong.

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Behaviour is appropriate in most classes, but in some lessons misbehaviour interrupts learning. Not all staff follow the school’s behaviour policy.

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In 2019, pupils made too little progress in reading by the end of key stage 2. Leaders quickly made changes to the reading curriculum. All pupils have reading lessons every day. This promotes a love of reading. Adults notice when any pupil falls behind and help them to catch up quickly. Pupils enjoy hearing adults read aloud to them. Teachers make sure that pupils read books that match their interests and reading skills. This helps them to achieve well.

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Leaders have reviewed the mathematics curriculum because pupils did not achieve well enough. Teachers now plan work to build up pupils’ knowledge over time. Teachers provide daily opportunities for pupils to practise their basic number skills and apply their knowledge when solving problems. Pupils do this successfully. Teachers provide extra challenge for those who need it.

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The physical education (PE) curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced. Pupils build up their skills well. They are active for most of their lesson time. The subject leader uses her good subject knowledge to monitor the curriculum carefully. However, the subject leaders for many subjects lack leadership experience because they are new to the school or new to their leadership role. Leaders have planned training for them. This will help them plan, implement and monitor the curriculum in their subject.

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Staff meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Extra help from adults ensures that these pupils gain confidence. This helps pupils with SEND know and remember more in lessons and over time.

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Children in the early years enjoy school because adults plan interesting and exciting learning activities. For example, children remember the story of ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’. They enjoy acting it out and building model bridges. Adults encourage children to be independent, for example when recording their work on tablet computers. Teachers help children to learn phonics as soon as they start school. As a result, children quickly learn the sounds they need to read fluently. Adults understand how children learn and help them feel safe and secure.

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Some parents expressed concern about changes at St Anne’s. Leaders accept the need to communicate information more effectively.

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Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration of their workload. Those new to the school say they soon feel part of the team. 12–13 February 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that there are effective systems in place to safeguard pupils. All staff, including those new to the school, have the training and up-to-date information they need to protect pupils from harm. Staff know their responsibilities and how to report any concerns. Leaders act swiftly on all concerns raised by staff about pupils’ welfare. Leaders make all the required checks to make sure that adults are safe to work with children. Pupils know how to stay safe when using computers because they have weekly e-safety lessons.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have developed clear plans that identify what pupils should learn each year in each subject. The leaders of most of the foundation subjects are new to the school or to their leadership post. They have not had the time to develop the skills they need to check that the planned curriculum is implemented well. Senior leaders need to make sure that foundation subject leaders receive the planned professional development so that they develop their leadership skills and have a positive impact on the quality of education.  Leaders have recently reviewed the behaviour policy. Some teachers do not apply this behaviour policy consistently. As a result, there is low-level disruption in a few classes. This has a negative influence on pupils’ learning. Leaders need to ensure that all staff apply the revised policy consistently. They need to make sure that sanctions deter repeated misbehaviour and reward pupils who always behave.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Parents express concern about changes in school. They say they are not told enough about their children’s education. Some of the information on the school’s website is out of date. As a result, almost half of the parents who responded to the online survey, Parent View, said they would not recommend the school. Leaders need to make sure that they give parents frequent, up-to-date information.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately. 12–13 February 2020

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged St Anne’s CofE VC Primary School to be good on 8–9 March 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 12–13 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122555 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Diana Sutherland

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School details

Website www.stannesprimary.worcs.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 March 2016

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2018. The previous headteacher and deputy headteacher left in August 2018.  There have further been significant staffing changes in the last two years. One teacher was promoted to the post of assistant headteacher in May 2019. Two teachers left the school in July 2019. An assistant headteacher joined the school in September 2019. Three further staff left by December 2019.  There are currently three long-term supply teachers working at the school.  The school comprises one Reception class, two mixed Y1/2 classes, three mixed Y3/4 classes and three mixed Y5/6 classes.  There is a before- and after-school club on site, run by a private provider. These are inspected separately.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection for schools with a religious character took place in July 2017. 12–13 February 2020

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher and the two assistant headteachers. I met four members of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair. I also met with a representative of the local authority and spoke on the telephone to a representative of the diocese.  I looked at a range of information about the school, including content on the school’s website and curriculum plans. I also analysed published information about the progress and attainment of pupils in national tests and assessments.  I considered reading, mathematics and PE in depth. I visited lessons and spoke to subject leaders, teachers and pupils about pupils’ learning. I also looked at pupils’ work and heard pupils read.  I checked the school’s work to keep pupils safe. I looked at policies, procedures and the school’s central record of employment checks on adults working in the school to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. I talked to pupils and parents about

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding and behaviour. I spoke to staff to check the school’s safeguarding arrangements.  I spoke to parents informally at the beginning of the day. I also took account of 84 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 45 to the Parent View free-text service.  I considered 40 responses to the pupil survey and 16 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Helen Morrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 12–13 February 2020

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regulates and inspects to 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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