St Anne's Church of England Academy

Inspection of St Anne’s Church of England Academy Hollin Lane, Middleton, Manchester M24 6XN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Chris Heyes. This school is part of Cranmer Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Julie Hollis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Janet Gregory. 10 and 11 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has created a warm and welcoming environment for pupils. Teachers get to know pupils well and they have high ambitions for their success. From the very start of Year 7, the school instils clear expectations for pupils’ academic development. Teachers support pupils to build successfully on their prior knowledge.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), follow a broad and ambitious curriculum. They benefit from the positive changes that the school has made to the quality of education that it provides. As a result of these improvements, pupils are achieving increasingly well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They have strong relationships with staff. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils prosper from a range of wider opportunities. For example, a growing number of pupils take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme or perform in the school show. Pupils from all backgrounds are encouraged to participate in a wide range of clubs, such as anime, debating, music and e-sports.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is complemented by a range of trips, including visits to London and Italy. The school’s flag football champions told inspectors that they are looking forward to visiting Ohio to take part in an international tournament.

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better?

The school, with the support of the trust, has implemented a number of improvements to the curriculum in recent years. Alongside these changes, the school has strengthened staffing and provided appropriate training for teachers. As a result, the school has considerably raised the level of ambition and the quality of the curriculum. The proportion of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects is increasing.

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better?

The 2023 published data indicates that pupils’ progress and attainment at the end of Year 11 were below the national average. This was because of a legacy of uneven curriculum delivery, coupled with lower rates of attendance following the COVID-19 pandemic. Current pupils have benefited from a much-strengthened quality of education. As a result, most pupils are now achieving well.

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better?

The school has set out the core knowledge that pupils should learn and when this content should be taught. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and they explain concepts well. Typically, teachers design activities that help pupils to build a rich body of subject knowledge.

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better?

In many lessons, teachers use assessment strategies well to check that pupils know and remember the knowledge that has been taught. However, from time to time, 10 and 11 July 2024

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the school’s assessment strategies do not provide teachers with the information that they need to accurately identify pupils’ misconceptions or missed learning. On occasion, some pupils’ learning is uneven.

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The school identifies pupils’ additional needs accurately. Staff are provided with the information that they need to make appropriate adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum. This helps staff to meet the needs of pupils with SEND well. In the main, pupils with SEND learn well alongside their peers.

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The school has built a reading culture across all age groups. For example, the more reluctant readers are encouraged to borrow books from the mobile library that visits during form time. Pupil librarians make book recommendations to match the interests of the pupils who they visit.

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As pupils join the school, their reading needs are accurately identified. Pupils who find reading more difficult have the support that they need to catch up quickly. An increasing number of pupils read with fluency.

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The school has raised its expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Systems are consistently applied by staff and are clearly understood by pupils. As a result, behaviour in lessons is calm and purposeful. The school’s successful work with families has secured improvements in attendance for many pupils. However, for a small number of pupils, low rates of attendance continue to prevent them from accessing the full curriculum.

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The school has designed a comprehensive programme to support pupils’ personal development. Pupils become well informed about life in modern Britain. For example, they learn how to respect the differences of others. A growing number of pupils participate in the broad range of extra-curricular activities that the school offers.

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Trustees and members of the local governing body know the school and the local community well. They have a clear, ambitious vision for the school that is well understood by staff. Opportunities for staff to work collaboratively have reduced staff workload and increased staff well-being. Staff are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 From time to time, the school’s assessment strategies hinder teachers from addressing pupils’ misconceptions or forgotten learning as quickly as they could. Occasionally, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should 10 and 11 July 2024

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ensure that teachers are fully equipped to make effective use of assessment information to remedy pupils’ gaps in knowledge.  Some pupils struggle to improve their low rates of attendance. As a result, these pupils do not receive the full benefit of the ambitious curriculum that the school offers. The school should review the effectiveness of its strategies to support pupils and their families to improve attendance rates and reduce persistent absenteeism.

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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). 10 and 11 July 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 October 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Cranmer Education Trust.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provider for a small number of pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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. 10 and 11 July 2024

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 Inspectors discussed the continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, modern foreign languages, geography, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector met with the CEO of the trust, members of the trust, trustees and members of the local governing body. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils from Years 7 to 11 about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments.  Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Eleanor Overland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Amina Modan His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 July 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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