St Anne's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Anne’s Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School Hylton Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR4 9AA

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Outcome

St Anne’s Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Life at St Anne’s is underpinned by its religious values. Staff in school model for pupils how to ‘live happily, love unconditionally and learn enthusiastically’. These values are evident in the strong relationships present throughout the school. One pupil explained that ‘our teachers love and take care of us’. This encapsulates what many pupils feel. Staff, pupils, parents, carers and governors alike describe the school community as a family. Parents were unanimously positive about the culture that the headteacher provides for pupils. Pupils grow in confidence and are nurtured here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for what pupils can achieve academically. However, leaders’ aspirations for pupils extend far beyond academic success. Leaders at St Anne’s are passionate about providing pupils with the best possible start in life. Leaders have created a ‘St Anne’s bucket list’ of important experiences that they ensure that all pupils receive. All pupils visit the theatre, learn a musical instrument, climb a mountain and learn to ride a bike, among many other opportunities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils believe that bullying is not a problem at their school. They are confident that if it happened it would be taken very seriously by teachers. Pupils are mature and thoughtful in how they treat each other. Pupils enjoy the responsibility of roles such as ‘playground pals’ and ‘well-being ambassadors’. They understand the importance of making sure that everyone is included. Pupils flourish here.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious and well matched to their pupils’ needs, interests and abilities. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn. An example of this is that leaders decided to teach pupils Spanish so that they are well prepared to move on to their local secondary school. The content that leaders 8 and 9 November 2022

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include in their curriculum is chosen to broaden pupils’ life experiences. In music, all pupils learn to play the keyboard, the glockenspiel and the recorder.

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In lessons, teachers deliver new content clearly. Pupils appreciate ‘memory joggers’ in mathematics lessons to help them remember content they have already learned. Most teachers use questioning effectively to find gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Teachers use ‘live marking’ to help pupils move forward through the curriculum quickly. Pupils enjoy celebrating their successes. In art lessons, pupils ‘aim for the frame’, where examples of strong work are displayed weekly.

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In core subjects, leaders use assessment to identify precise gaps in pupils’ learning. These gaps are then addressed through extra teaching or intervention. In some foundation subjects, teachers do not check what pupils know and remember as effectively. They sometimes do not clearly identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge in these subjects.

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Leaders have created an environment where reading is valued and enjoyed. Pupils throughout the school read to adults daily. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the stories that adults read to them every day. Staff choose to share stories that teach pupils important messages about the world. Staff teach phonics effectively so that all pupils learn to read quickly. Pupils who find reading more difficult are provided with daily support to make sure that they keep up with their peers. Pupils are proud of their reading achievements.

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Children in the early years benefit from an environment that is designed to promote independence. Children are encouraged to challenge themselves in the activities they have chosen. Leaders make sure that books and stories have high status in the early years environment. Children access books in all areas of the provision.

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Leaders provide thorough and regular training for staff around identifying pupils who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff ensure that pupils with SEND are supported effectively to succeed through a wide range of strategies. Staff make sure that these pupils can access the curriculum. Pupils with SEND and their parents value the support and communication from school.

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Pupils across school behave well and treat each other kindly. In classrooms, pupils are engaged in their learning. At social times, they play happily together and cooperate. If there is any low-level disruption in lessons, teachers deal with it effectively. Pupils are polite and keen to talk to visitors. They have positive attitudes about school. They enjoy learning across all subjects.

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Pupils talk very clearly about respect and tolerance. They explain that everybody should be treated equally and fairly. Pupils talk about challenging gender stereotypes or discrimination. Pupils are given many opportunities to demonstrate leadership through a range of responsibilities, including school council representatives and prayer leaders, among others. Pupils enjoy the range of extra-curricular opportunities that the school provides, including poetry club, reading club and karate. 8 and 9 November 2022

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Staff feel valued by leaders. They appreciate how they are supported to manage their workload. Staff feel proud to be a part of this school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is a top priority in school. Staff are vigilant and well trained in how to keep pupils safe. Staff are clear about how to report any concerns they might have. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, both online and in the community. Pupils trust adults in school to look after them. They feel safe and cared for.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with a range of agencies to make sure that pupils and their families get the support they need. Parents appreciate this support. Leaders are willing to challenge external agencies if necessary to ensure that pupils are safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not check what pupils know and remember effectively in some foundation subjects. Pupils’ gaps in knowledge are not consistently identified and closed. Leaders should ensure that teachers monitor what pupils know and remember in these subjects.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 8 and 9 November 2022

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

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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. 8 and 9 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240463 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 Joanne Robertson

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School details

Website https://www.stannesrcprimary.org.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator and the school improvement officer from the local authority. They also spoke with a representative from the diocese by telephone.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at curriculum plans for some other subjects, including personal, social and health education.

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 The inspector met with the headteacher, as the designated lead for safeguarding. They looked at records of actions taken by leaders to keep pupils safe.  The inspector checked the single central record and documentation regarding safer recruitment.  The inspector spoke with a range of staff and pupils, formally and informally, throughout the inspection.  The inspector observed pupils at social times.  The inspector spoke with a number of parents.  The inspector considered the responses to staff, pupil and parent questionnaires.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation throughout the inspection, including the school’s self-evaluation, development plan and minutes of governors’ meetings.

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Inspection team

Katie Spurr, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 November 2022

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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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