Schools & FE · Report card

St Anne's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn

Inspected 13 Jan 2026 · URN 119511

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

David Lobodzinski (lead), Andy Hunt, Tracy Beaty

What we read, and from where

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Achievement verified
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour verified
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
Early years verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Expected standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
13 Jan 2026
Inspectors verified
Andy Hunt, David Lobodzinski, Tracy Beaty
Postcode verified
BB2 1LQ
Name on report verified
St Anne's Roman Catholic Primary School
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
119511

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Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected
Curriculum and teachingExpected
Early yearsExpected
InclusionExpected
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+69Positivemore positive than 42% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisepositiveeffectiveeffectivelyhigh expectationsenjoysecureconsistentlyimproving

Criticismgapsconcernsnot consistentlynot effectivenot secure

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1517w+70
Leadership103w+48
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve42w+62

Strengths

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Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 15
Words of findings: 1,713; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Fairly hard; Flesch 51, typical 43
Average sentence: 13 words
Next steps: 3; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 10%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 52%Leadership 4%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 1%About the inspection 41%

Full report text

Blackburn

Address: Feilden Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 1LQ Unique reference number (URN): 119511

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils feel a sense of belonging at the school and most attend regularly. They enjoy seeing their friends and teachers each day. Leaders check pupils’ levels of attendance carefully. This has helped to encourage some pupils to come to school more often. A breakfast club and additional activities, such as 'soft starts' for those who need them, help pupils to have a positive start to the day. Leaders work closely with parents, carers and external agencies to overcome any barriers to attending school. This means that pupils who have had difficulties get the support that they need to get back on track.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils typically behave well during lessons and around the school, including at social times. They understand the school’s rules. Pupils are well mannered and polite towards their peers, staff and visitors. They have positive attitudes to learning and engage well during lessons. Well-established routines help them to feel settled. Pupils appreciate that staff help to resolve any concerns that they may have quickly and effectively. Staff understand the school’s expectations for behaviour. Most staff support pupils to follow these well. As a result, the environment is calm and orderly.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders have renewed their focus on improving the curriculum to make sure that it is broad and balanced. The curriculum is well ordered. It sets out the knowledge that pupils need to learn. This helps them to build on their prior knowledge. Leaders ensure that staff benefit from professional learning that develops their subject knowledge and teaching skills. Staff typically deliver the curriculum well. However, at times, the adaptations that teachers make to support some pupils' learning are not as effective as they could be.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum emphasises developing pupils’ language and vocabulary. This particularly helps pupils who speak English as an additional language to build their understanding. Generally, teachers check that pupils learn and remember what is taught. For the most part, teachers use this information well to inform subsequent teaching. For example, they make sure that pupils practise their reading using books that match the sounds that they know and provide any necessary support to help pupils catch up quickly. However, there is some variability in how well staff use the information that they glean from their checks on learning. As a result, some gaps in pupils’ knowledge, especially in their writing knowledge, go unaddressed.

p.2

Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed an effective curriculum that gives children a secure start to their early education. The curriculum sets out what children need to know across all areas of learning and supports their progress. This helps to prepare children for moving up to key stage 1. Leaders have high expectations for children’s achievement. Leaders prioritise children’s communication and language skills. They have selected high-quality stories for children to experience. Leaders have identified precise vocabulary for children to learn, which is designed to develop their speaking skills. Staff interact well with children. This helps children who speak other languages at home to gain a secure command of English. The well- ordered phonics programme and effective teaching typically help children to develop their early reading skills well.

p.2

Early years Expected standard

Staff have warm and caring relationships with children. They ensure that parents and carers are included in their children’s learning. Settling-in arrangements and well-established routines help children to feel secure and learn well. For example, children learn how to wash their hands before snack time and to brush their teeth after eating lunch. Children develop positive attitudes towards their learning. They understand the school’s expectations, with sensitive support from staff.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders strive to include pupils in all aspects of the school. Staff are knowledgeable about pupils as individuals. Using effective systems, they quickly and accurately identify any additional needs or barriers that pupils may have. Leaders ensure that staff typically support disadvantaged pupils effectively. This is also the case for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils who speak English as an additional language. Leaders have focused on strengthening relationships with parents and carers so that they can help their children’s learning. They draw on links with external agencies and local partners to find the best ways of supporting pupils.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders understand the barriers that pupils may face. They have developed effective strategies to address these. For example, leaders regularly review how well pupils progress through the curriculum. In the main, this enables pupils with SEND and those who face other disadvantages to learn well alongside their peers. Often, adaptations that teachers make during lessons support pupils’ wellbeing and help them to access learning. Occasionally, these approaches do not support some pupils to learn as well as they could.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff have the training they need to help them with meeting pupils' needs. They make sure that additional funding is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils’ wellbeing, attendance and learning, for example through the additional resources and support staff that leaders provide.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders act in the best interests of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They understand the school's priorities for improvement and have acted swiftly to address these, for example by strengthening safeguarding practices and by improving the provision in the early years. Children have a secure start to their education as a result. Leaders have focused on improving the curriculum and pupils’ learning. This has led to a positive impact in many areas of the school's work. Recent actions to improve pupils' writing are underway, but leaders have not had time to secure improvement.

p.3

Needs attention

Governors share leaders’ determination to continue to improve. They fulfil their statutory duties effectively. Governors support and challenge the school well. For example, they ensure that safeguarding requirements are met and that additional funding is well spent. Governors review pupils’ attendance and check how well pupils benefit from school and the wider opportunities that exist for them. This includes ensuring that pupils with SEND benefit just as well as their peers.

p.4

Needs attention

Staff draw on a wide range of high-quality professional learning that helps them to further improve and develop their expertise. For example, they have opportunities to share effective teaching by being members of a school improvement group. Leaders and governors ensure that staff workload is manageable and their wellbeing prioritised. Staff appreciate the time that they are given to complete their roles. They feel valued through leaders’ commitment to a teamwork approach.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has adopted a suitable personal development programme. Leaders make sure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, benefit from rich experiences. Leaders have tailored the knowledge that pupils learn to the school’s context. This typically prepares pupils well for life in the area in which they live and beyond. Leaders engage well with parents and carers to help them to understand the information that pupils will learn.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop their social skills. They understand how to make a positive contribution to the experiences of others. For example, members of the school council help to organise events for pupils across the year. Pupils raise money for charities. The choir visits a local care home to sing to residents. These activities help pupils to learn how to become active citizens in their community. Some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, benefit from additional music and drama tuition. Pupils take part in physical activities such as football and dodgeball. These opportunities encourage pupils to develop their talents and interests.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils’ pastoral needs are well supported. Staff check regularly on pupils’ wellbeing, providing activities to help them to manage their emotions. Pupils understand how to treat others with kindness. They develop their understanding of fundamental British values. For example, pupils learn about democracy. They show respect towards other people’s differences, such as disabilities. Pupils learn about healthy relationships in an age- appropriate way. They learn how to stay safe outside of school, including when online and when travelling to school. Overall, pupils are well informed about looking after themselves physically and mentally.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Pupils do not develop their writing skills securely. Actions to address gaps in pupils’ writing are recent and not fully embedded across the school. Many pupils do not have the knowledge that they need in spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting. As a result, they make repeated mistakes in their written work. Staff do not consistently identify or address these over time. There is further work needed to close these gaps for some groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

In other subjects, pupils’ attainment has improved over time, particularly in mathematics and reading. This includes for disadvantaged pupils. These improvements are reflected in pupils' outcomes in national tests at the end of Year 6. Pupils broadly progress well through the wider curriculum. They remember their learning and build a useful body of knowledge across subjects. This prepares them well for their next steps in education.

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