St Anne's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Anne’s Catholic Primary School Highfield South, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH42 4NE

p.1

Outcome

St Anne’s Catholic Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the friendly atmosphere at St Anne’s Catholic Primary School. They receive a warm welcome from staff at the start of each day and have highly positive relationships with the adults at the school. Most pupils say that they feel happy and safe because of the nurture and care that they receive. Additionally, the parents and carers who responded to Ofsted Parent View were full of praise for the way in which the school supports pupils and their families.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond well to the higher expectations set for their achievement. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the attainment of pupils at the end of key stage 2 has improved continually and is broadly similar to that of other schools nationally.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in school. They settle quickly at the start of the day and are ready for learning. Pupils benefit from highly positive support to help manage their behaviour. This is effective in maintaining a calm learning environment.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of activities that enhance their personal development. These include the yoga and gardening clubs for children in the early years. There is also a range of interesting trips and wider opportunities on offer across the school.

p.1

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

The school has worked effectively since the previous inspection to develop a coherent curriculum in all subjects across key stages 1 and 2 and in the early years. As a result, pupils mainly learn well. Across most subjects, staff typically check pupils’ understanding carefully and ensure that pupils make links in their learning. This helps pupils remember important knowledge over time. For instance, in mathematics, pupils explain clearly how 25 and 26 March 2025

p.1

2

their previous work is helping them with their current learning. However, in some subjects, pupils’ recall is not secure enough. This is because staff do not have the precise information about the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn. As a result, there are key gaps in pupils’ knowledge. In addition, the arrangements to check on pupils’ understanding do not enable teachers to identify and address these gaps as effectively as they could.

p.2

2

Children in the provision for two- and three-year-olds develop their awareness of language and sounds well. These language skills set a strong basis for the school’s phonics programme. In the Reception Year, children successfully learn to blend sounds to help them read words quickly. In key stage 1, many pupils read with confidence and increasing fluency. Staff check how well pupils remember this learning to identify those who need more help to catch up quickly. The support for these pupils is successful in developing their reading skills and knowledge.

p.2

2

The school has effective strategies to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities early. The school has a range of initiatives to help support these pupils so that they access the curriculum fully and achieve well. The school provides additional support for pupils’ social, emotional and mental health. This is successful in ensuring that all pupils are, and feel, included in the school.

p.2

2

The school prioritises pupils’ attendance above all else. It analyses attendance records routinely to identify clear reasons for any absence. The school is working well to do all it reasonably can to address any barriers and promote strong attendance. Although there are improvements for individual pupils, some vulnerable pupils still miss out on vital learning. This is because some of the measures that the school has in place are not effective enough to reduce persistent absence rapidly.

p.2

2

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They know what it means to be equal and understand how aspects of modern British values affect their lives, for example when discussing democracy. Pupils are supported well to manage life events such as bereavement. They understand the importance of their social development. From the early years onwards, children learn how to maintain healthy, supportive relationships with others. They understand the importance of exercise and why this is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

p.2

2

Leaders and governors are a cohesive team. They make effective decisions to sustain and improve key aspects of the provision at the school in many areas. Leaders ensure that their decisions focus on inclusive strategies and pupils’ needs to address any behaviour concerns as well as making positive changes to the curriculum.

p.2

2

Staff are positive about the school’s actions to address teachers’ workload as it frees them up to focus on pupils’ needs and learning. For example, the school has reviewed its marking policy to help streamline the feedback that pupils receive. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the school has not set out clearly enough the key knowledge that it wants pupils to remember. As such, pupils do not recall some of the essential subject knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that learning in these subjects is made more explicit so that teachers have the information they need to help pupils build more effectively on their prior learning.  The school’s arrangements for checks on learning are not effective in some subjects. As such, there are key gaps in pupils’ knowledge that are not addressed effectively. The school should ensure that clearer arrangements are put in place to check on how well pupils secure the key knowledge across the curriculum and recall their learning over time.  Persistent absence at the school remains high for some pupils. This means that these pupils miss out on some vital learning. The school should ensure that more effective

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

action is taken to ensure that these pupils’ rate of attendance rises more rapidly.

p.3

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2016. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 March 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 March 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This is a Catholic primary school within the Diocese of Shrewsbury. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection of a school with a religious character took place in October 2022. The next inspection is due before July 2027.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has introduced provision for two-year-old children since the previous inspection. This opened in January 2021.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.5

6

 The inspector spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher, as well as speaking with governors, a representative of Wirral local authority and a representative of the Diocese of Shrewsbury.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector heard pupils read individually and as part of classroom activities.  The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View as well as Ofsted’s online inspection surveys for staff and pupils.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at breaktimes and around the school. He looked at records for behaviour and bullying and spoke with pupils and staff.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

p.6

6

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

p.6

Inspection team

Steve Bentham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 March 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7