Warrington St Ann's CofE Primary School

Inspection of Warrington St Ann's CofE Primary School Lathom Avenue, Orford, Warrington, Cheshire WA2 8AL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 25 and 26 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Ann’s is a place ‘where everyone matters’. Pupils are greeted warmly as they arrive at school each morning. They benefit from the support and care of staff who know them well. If pupils feel anxious, staff strive to help them overcome their worries. The school is a happy, calm and friendly place to be. All are welcome. New pupils, for example those from overseas, settle quickly and make new friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be members of their school community. They try hard to follow the school’s ‘golden rules’. Around the school, pupils enjoy being recognised for their kindness and ability to care for each other. In lessons, they listen respectfully to their teachers and to each other. Most pupils are enthusiastic learners. They are keen to try their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievement, including that of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Many pupils take pride in their work. They enjoy their learning and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the clubs that they can attend, such as gymnastics, art and football. Older pupils spoke excitedly about representing the school in a county cricket tournament. Younger pupils were keen to tell inspectors about their recent trip to a museum to learn more about materials.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, the school has made significant improvements to the quality of education that pupils receive. They have taken effective steps to ensure that pupils, including those with SEND, benefit from a suitably ambitious curriculum. A number of pupils join the school at different points in their schooling. Some of these pupils join the school from other countries. Many speak English as an additional language. Staff give these pupils the help that they need to learn well and overcome the initial challenges that they might face.

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better?

Beginning in the early years and including within the provision for two-year-olds, the school has set out the knowledge and skills pupils should acquire. This ensures that the new content that pupils learn builds on what they have learned before. As a result, pupils achieve increasingly well across a range of subjects. In some subjects, where the curriculums are not as embedded, pupils’ knowledge of some aspects of their learning is not as secure. Pupils have had fewer opportunities to build and strengthen their learning in these subjects.

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better?

Staff value the training that the school provides across a range of subjects. This helps them to explain new concepts to pupils clearly. Teachers use assessment to check pupils’ understanding and address misconceptions within lessons. In some subjects, however, the school’s strategies for checking pupils’ understanding do not accurately identify gaps in their learning. As a result, some pupils struggle to make connections between their earlier knowledge and new learning. 25 and 26 June 2024

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As soon as pupils join the school, reading is made a top priority. Staff promote a love of reading at every opportunity. Pupils are immersed in high-quality books. Staff help them to develop a love of reading. Pupils are keen to earn reading ‘jackpot’ awards for reading regularly.

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In the Nursery class, children begin to learn initial sounds. They are well prepared to embark on their phonics lessons when they move into the Reception class. Staff give pupils regular opportunities to practise the sounds that they are learning. The books that pupils read are well matched to the sounds that they know. This helps to build their confidence and fluency in reading. Staff provide timely support for pupils who find reading difficult.

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The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. These pupils benefit from carefully planned support. This enables them to follow the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND are fully involved in school life.

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Children in the early years, follow instructions and routines well. They learn to share and to take turns. Older pupils learn to consider how their actions make others feel. Staff and pupils show mutual respect.

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The school works closely with families to identify reasons for the low attendance rates of some pupils. It takes swift and effective action to provide support for these pupils. As a result, rates of attendance are improving.

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Staff teach pupils about the importance of healthy minds and bodies. They learn about healthy relationships and different faiths and cultures. The school provides a range of educational visits, including residential trips. This helps pupils to discover new talents and interests and enables them to learn about the world beyond the school.

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Governors know the school well. They make regular checks on the effectiveness of the school’s curriculum. Enthusiastic staff feel valued by governors and the school. They appreciate the school’s efforts to consider their well-being and workload when making decisions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some changes to subject curriculums are not embedded. In these subjects, pupils have had less opportunity to consolidate their knowledge. The school should ensure that these subject curriculums give pupils sufficient opportunity to learn well and remember more. 25 and 26 June 2024

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 In some subjects, the school’s strategies for checking pupils’ learning over time do not accurately identify gaps in their knowledge. As a result, some pupils struggle to make connections between previous and new learning. The school should refine its strategies for checking that pupils’ knowledge is secure to enable them to make links in their learning and remember more over time.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 25 and 26 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website https://stanns-warrington.secure- dbprimary.com Dates of previous inspection 12 to 13 October 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Liverpool. The last section 48 inspection took place in June 2017. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the academic year 2024 to 2025.  The school provides education for two-year-old children.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the second routine inspection the school has received since the COVID- 19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 25 and 26 June 2024

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 Inspectors conducted deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, they had discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with subject leaders and with pupils about their learning in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed pupils from key stages 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority and with a representative of the diocese.  Inspectors talked with staff and leaders about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for attendance, behaviour, early years, the provision for pupils with SEND and pupils’ personal development.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school. They looked at a range of documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around the school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Jewitt, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Travis Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 June 2024

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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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