St Anne's Catholic Primary School

ST. ANNE’S VA RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 29 th September – 2 nd October 2003

p.1

ST. ANNE’S VA RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

ST. ANNE’S VA RC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 400

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 6 Durham Street Vauxhall London

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 7735 4516 Fax number: 020 7820 8757

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Miss Margaret Lynch

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19 th October 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Anne’s is a large Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic primary school for children aged between four and eleven situated in Vauxhall in the London Borough of Lambeth. There are currently 400 pupils on roll, organised in 15 classes. This includes a nursery with 10 children who attend full-time, and 28 who attend part-time. The school is over-subscribed and all pupils are Roman Catholics, with the majority of them coming from a variety of housing situations in the immediate and surrounding areas. The pupils represent a wide range of backgrounds and the school’s population reflects the composition of the community in which it is based; eighty nine per cent of the pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds and a significant number of these pupils come from homes where English is not their first language. Sixty three per cent of these pupils have been identified as needing additional support in English and thirty six per cent are at an early stage in learning to speak

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

English. This is a very high proportion of the pupils on roll. Thirty one per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Twenty two per cent of the full-time pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, seven of whom have statements setting out the specific provision to be made. This is average for schools of this size. On entry to the nursery, most children are assessed as being below the expected levels. Many children do not have the skills and knowledge typical of children of a similar age and many have weak English language communication and social experience. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 4

p.3

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21334 Miss Savi Ramnath Lead inspector Science Education inclusion English as an additional language

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

9173 Ms Sarah McDermott Lay inspector 4099 Mr Rod Braithwaite Team inspector English Geography History Music Physical education 31444 Ms Gill Ellis Team inspector The Foundation Stage area of learning Information communication technology 12367 Mr Antony Green Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology Special educational needs

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 5

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 13

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an improving school whose current effectiveness is satisfactory . The school provides a positive climate for learning and a supportive community where pupils can develop in confidence. Over the past two years the headteacher has faced the challenge of raising standards with determination and this has led to substantial improvements in standards in English and science, since 2002 particularly in Year 6. Whilst pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall, progress is still variable between subjects and classes. The overall quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory with some good features. Teaching is best in one of the Year 6 classes. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory overall, although systems for monitoring and supporting teaching lack rigour. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher provides good leadership and is well supported by staff, governors and parents. • The quality of teaching is inconsistent to promote effective learning in all classes across the school. • The good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development results in good behaviour, attitudes and relationships. • Standards are below the level expected nationally in speaking, writing, mathematics, science and geography at the end of Year 2 and in mathematics and geography at the end of Year 6. • There are good links with parents, which impact well on the support given by parents. • The role of some co-ordinators is satisfactory, but they do not contribute enough to improving teaching and learning. • Not enough use is made of regular assessment to ensure work is well matched to pupils’ needs.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

Since the school was inspected in 1998 improvement has been satisfactory . Standards have been maintained in English, science and in information and communication technology (ICT), but have fallen in mathematics. Almost all the issues identified in the last report have been tackled. There are better systems for assessing pupils’ progress in the core subjects, but the information gained is not always used well for planning to meet pupils’ individual needs. Strategies for managing inappropriate behaviour are effective and consistently applied. As a result, pupils are well behaved. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage 1 has improved, although there remain some weaknesses, which limit the progress that children make.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English E D E E Mathematics E D E D Science D E E D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall and best in Year 6. When children join the Nursery, many have poorly developed communication skills and low levels of social development. Children achieve at least satisfactorily in relation to some of the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception year. However, a significant number of children start Year 1 below the levels expected in aspects of communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

1 Foundation Stage: education before pupils enter Year 1, i.e. in the Nursery and Reception classes. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 7 understanding of the world and creative development. In Years 1 to 6, achievement is satisfactory overall. By Year 2, standards in reading and ICT are at the level expected nationally. In all other aspects of English, mathematics and science, standards are below expectations. By Year 6, standards are in line with expectations in English, science and ICT but remain below the expected level in mathematics and geography.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils use literacy skills satisfactorily in other subjects, but the use of mathematical and ICT skills are underdeveloped.

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils with special educational needs and those at the early stages of English language acquisition achieve satisfactorily. When targeted support is provided and teaching is good pupils achieve well. The school has not yet identified any pupils as gifted or talented.

p.7

Pupils’ personal qualities including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are

good overall. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They listen carefully and have good levels of concentration. Pupils’ behaviour is good. Most pupils behave consistently well in lessons, assemblies and around the school. They are polite, friendly and welcoming. Attendance is good.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory .

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, with some strong features . In the Foundation Stage, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall but good in some areas of learning. However, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for children to work independently and assessment information is not always well used to plan work to meet the needs of all children. Throughout the rest of the school, teaching is at least satisfactory except in geography where teaching is unsatisfactory. Examples of very good and good quality teaching and learning were seen in English, mathematics and science. This results from teachers’ good subject knowledge, high expectations, and planning for the range of attainment so that all groups learn well. Where unsatisfactory lessons were observed, the needs of pupils were not well met, pupils were not managed effectively and the pace of learning was too slow. As a result, pupils were not challenged

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

by the work and did not achieve to their capacity.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

A broad and relevant curriculum is provided for all pupils. It is enriched through links with the community, visits and visitors and by a good range of extra-curricular activities. Teachers know their pupils well and give them a good level of care and support for their well being. This does much to promote positive attitudes. The monitoring of pupils’ academic progress is not sufficiently rigorous. The school works well with parents making a positive contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership of the school is good . The headteacher, ably supported by the recently appointed deputy headteacher, provides strong and purposeful leadership. They have a clear view of what the school should be aiming to achieve. The governing body fulfils its role satisfactorily. Although governors maintain a close association with the school and have an increasing understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses, their role in monitoring the work of the school is limited. Management of the school is satisfactory . Whilst significant progress has been made to raise standards in English and science, many of the developments are not yet fully effective due to lack of suitably qualified staff. However, the school has taken steps to address this issue by new appointments and clear delegation of responsibilities.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 8 Parents have positive views of the school and the great majority feel that their children are making good progress. Pupils like school very much, find lessons interesting and fun, and say they have to work hard. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 9

p.8

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in speaking, writing, mathematics, science and geography at the end of Year 2 and in mathematics and geography at the end of Year 6. • Ensure that regular assessment is used to influence daily lesson plans. • Improve the level of consistency of teaching. • Develop the monitoring of standards by subject co-ordinators. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 10

p.9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall. Overall, children in the Foundation Stage achieve satisfactorily. However, as many start school with low levels of attainment in their language and social skills, a significant number do not reach the standards expected for their age in all areas of learning by the time they join Year 1. In Years 1 and 2, although pupils achieve satisfactorily and many reach the expected standards at Level 2, too few pupils are working at the higher levels. Consequently, overall standards in writing, mathematics, science and geography are below national expectations. Achievement in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory, and best in Year 6. Standards at the end of Year 6 are in line with the level expected nationally in English and science but below expectations in mathematics and geography.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• In Year 6, national test results for 2003 in English and science at both the expected Level 4 and the higher Level 5 are better than those reported for the past 5 years. • Starting from a low starting point on entry, pupils achieve satisfactorily overall and reach national expectations in English, science, information and communication technology (ICT), history and art and design by the end of Year 6. • Standards in speaking, writing, mathematics, science and geography are below expectations at the end of Year 2 and in mathematics and geography at the end of Year 6.

p.10

Commentary

1. When the school was last inspected in 1998, standards for pupils in Years 2 and 6 met or exceeded national expectations in all subjects. In the years following the inspection, results of national tests and teacher assessments fluctuated and, since 2000, standards for Year 6 pupils have remained below the national averages in English, mathematics and science. The decline in standards was partly because of the turnover of staff, including the post of headteacher, an increased proportion of pupils at the early stages of English language acquisition, and unsatisfactory provision in some classes and year groups. Consequently, pupils’ learning and the standards they attained were affected. However, since the appointment of the new headteacher in September 2001, several initiatives have been put into place to arrest the decline in standards and to raise levels of attainment, especially in Years 3 to 5.

p.10

Commentary

These have just begun to have a beneficial effect on standards, especially in English and science, for pupils in Year 6, and National Curriculum test results for 2003 indicate that standards are broadly average in these two subjects. However, a number of contributory factors affect overall standards and achievement across the school: -

p.10

Commentary

• a significant number of children start school with low levels of attainment in language, literacy and communication; • the inconsistent quality of teaching; • insufficient use of assessment information to alter lesson plans so that all pupils achieve to their capacity; • lack of rigour in monitoring work in classes.

p.10

Commentary

2. There is a very wide range of attainment among children who join the Nursery. Overall, their attainment on entry is below that of children of a similar age and many have lower levels of communication and social skills than those typical for children of this age. Many are at the early stages of English language acquisition and a few speak no English. Though they make good progress in acquiring English during their time in the Nursery, most children do not catch up St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 11 with the nationally identified levels, except in their social skills, before they move to the Reception classes. During the time they spend in the Reception year, children continue to make good progress in their ability to interact and relate with others. They understand classroom routines and develop good habits of work and behaviour. However, there are few opportunities for them to develop independence, and assessment information is not always

p.10

Commentary

well used to plan work to meet the needs of all children. As a result, many children do not reach the expected standards in all areas of learning by the time they begin the National Curriculum in Year 1. Levels are lower than expected in aspects of communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development.

p.11

Commentary

3. In 2002, the results of the National Curriculum tests for Year 6 showed that pupils attained standards that were well below the national averages in English, mathematics and science. When compared with schools with a similar proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals, results were very low, that is to say in the lowest five per cent of schools nationally in English, and below in mathematics and science. Although published results of pupils’ prior attainment indicate very low value added, the school’s own tracking system showed that pupils’ achievement was overall satisfactory. For pupils at the later stages of English language acquisition, this is good achievement considering that many of them spoke little or no English when they started school. Although overall standards in all three subjects have remained below the national average for the last three years, 2003 results show significant improvements in

p.11

Commentary

both the expected Level 4 and the higher Level 5 in English and science, and are better than any over the past 5 years.

p.11

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

Standards in: School results National results English 24.4 (26.3) 27.0 (27.0) mathematics 25.5 (26.1) 26.7 (26.6) science 27.0 (26.4) 28.3 (28.3)

p.11

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

There were 55 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

p.11

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

4. Results in tests at the end of Year 2 are more varied, and greatly affected by the percentage of lower attaining pupils as well as those at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. In 2002, national test results for pupils in Year 2 showed that, when measured against schools nationally, pupils attained above average standards in mathematics, but below average standards in reading and writing. When compared with schools with a similar pupil intake, results are better. Pupils’ performance was well above average in mathematics and average in reading and writing. National Curriculum test results for 2003 indicate that standards are better that national averages in reading and writing. Teachers’ assessments for both 2002 and 2003 show standards in science to be below average.

p.11

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.3 (16.2) 15.8 (15.7) writing 13.5 (13.7) 14.4 (14.3) Mathematics 17.3 (17.1) 16.5 (16.2)

p.11

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

There were 54 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.11

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

5. Standards in English are below expectations for Year 2 pupils and are at the level expected for pupils in Year 6. The successful implementation of the National Literacy Strategy, additional St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 12 support and the good quality teaching in many lessons are having a positive impact on standards. Throughout the school, pupils’ listening skills are better than their speaking skills. By the end of Years 2 and 6, nearly all pupils listen attentively to their teachers and to one another, and willingly contribute to class discussions. However, many Year 2 pupils have a limited vocabulary and are often unable to express their thoughts and ideas using full sentences. By the end of Year 6, many pupils are articulate, use a good range of vocabulary and participate confidently in class discussions. When reading, pupils in Year 2 use their knowledge of the alphabet to help with the reading of unfamiliar words and read simple texts

p.11

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

fluently. However, many have yet to acquire the necessary range of skills to read expressively and with clear understanding of what they have read. By the end of Year 6, pupils acquire a range of reading strategies that enable them to tackle texts of increasing complexity. Standards in writing are below the expected levels by the end of Year 2. Not enough pupils reach high enough standards in their writing. This is because higher attaining pupils are not being challenged sufficiently to write extensively or use words imaginatively to enhance their work. In Year 6, pupils write satisfactorily for a wide range of purposes and most are developing good skills in paragraphing and punctuation, and are beginning to use words imaginatively to enhance their work. Standards in handwriting are satisfactory. However, presentation of written work in other subjects across the school is inconsistent.

p.12

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

6. In mathematics, standards are below expectations for pupils in Years 2 and 6. Too few pupils are working at the higher levels. Across the school progress is limited because work is not always well planned to challenge the higher attaining pupils. In addition pupils have too few opportunities to develop their mathematical language through oral work. In science, standards remain below expectations at the end of Year 2 and are in line with the level expected at the end of Year 6. Standards are below expectations partly because many pupils started Year 1 with limited scientific knowledge and understanding, and work is not always well planned to meet the needs of all pupils. In ICT, history and art and design, standards are at the expected levels at the end of Years 2 and 6. In geography, standards are below the level expected nationally at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. This is because not all aspects are fully

p.12

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

covered. No judgements were made in design and technology, music and physical education, where there was insufficient evidence.

p.12

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

7. By the end of Year 6, the standards attained by the majority of pupils who started school at the early stages of English language acquisition are comparable with other pupils in the school, once they become fluent in English. Pupils’ good and sometimes very good achievement results from their keenness to learn, which is encouraged by the school’s positive ethos. The collaboration between class teachers and staff funded through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG), which provides special support for these pupils, is effective in promoting the progress of these pupils. Pupils with special educational needs attain the standards expected of them. The majority achieve satisfactorily, and some make good progress in lessons. In the most recent tests, some pupils with special educational needs attained levels higher than had been expected, achieving well on their starting levels.

p.12

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

8. There has been some variation in results between boys and girls at the end of Years 2 and 6. Boys do not perform as well as girls. However, in the work seen during the inspection there were no significant differences in their performance. Pupils of different levels of attainment and ages are not always achieving to their capacity. Overall, lower and average attaining pupils achieve satisfactorily. However, in some classes across the school and in some subjects higher attaining pupils do not achieve to their capacity. This is because assessment information is not used consistently to plan work, which meets their needs.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values and their personal qualities are good . Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development are good and cultural development is satisfactory , making these aspects of pupils’ personal development good overall . Attendance is good , and punctuality is satisfactory . St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 13

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils, including those with special educational needs and with English as an additional language, are enthusiastic and enjoy coming to school. • Pupils’ good attitudes to learning means that they come to lessons keen to learn. They show a willingness to take responsibility for their own learning and generally around the school. • Pupils’ behaviour in class and around the school is good. Justice and fair play are valued. • The school successfully promotes pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development. • Levels of attendance compare well with other primary schools because parents are conscientious about the regular attendance of their children. • A few families have continuing problems in bringing their children to school on time.

p.13

Commentary

9. Pupils enjoy coming to school. The school’s ethos is one of a large caring family. Pupils know one another and staff well, and relationships are good. Staff provide consistent guidance to pupils and they demonstrate respect and tolerance. Behaviour is good. A good feature of the school’s work is the way in which all pupils are encouraged to take on responsibilities, for example, as class monitors, for duties within their class and for the whole school. Pupils fulfil these responsibilities conscientiously and grow in self-confidence and maturity as a result. School council representatives identified several changes, which had taken place as a result of their work. Class rules are reached through consensus to ensure that pupils identify with them and they are therefore effective. This helps develop their sense of responsibility towards the school, and also to a wider community.

p.13

Commentary

10. Pupils play well with one another and playground incidents are minimal. Significant improvements have been made to the outdoor environment, which helps to ensure harmonious break and lunchtimes. Bullying is rare and generally dealt with promptly and effectively. Pupils know whom to turn to if they have a concern about other pupils’ behaviour; they are confident to go to adults with these sort of worries. Parents and pupils are positive about the behaviour and attitudes promoted by the school.

p.13

Commentary

11. Pupils bring good attitudes to their work. They work well independently, in pairs and small groups. They are keen to learn. They become increasingly confident, mature, polite and articulate. Levels of concentration are good and the majority of pupils work hard. Provision for the early development of personal skills in the nursery and reception classes is good, and this carries through into the school.

p.13

Commentary

12. Pupils are provided with good opportunities for spiritual, moral and social development. They show respect for each other’s ideas and values and participate in a variety of activities that enable a growing awareness of others. They have well developed spiritual awareness. Pupils are developing an understanding of living in a community this is promoted through class and whole-school activities, for example, well delivered assemblies and Golden Time. From the Foundation Stage, pupils are encouraged to distinguish between right and wrong, and demonstrate that they have developed this well. The school has good arrangements for the induction of pupils into the Foundation Stage, enabling children to have a confident start to their school life. Pupils learn about their own culture through provision in subjects such as art and music. They learn of other cultures in assemblies and other subjects. Their awareness of

p.13

Commentary

cultures other than their own is limited.

p.13

Commentary

13. Pupils enjoy being at St Anne’s and parents are keen for their children to make the most of their time at school. Consequently, attendance levels continue to be good and they have a positive effect on the pupils’ achievement. Most pupils arrive well in time for the start of the school day, but a handful of pupils are regularly a few minutes late. The school is sensitive to any domestic problems, yet is firm in reminding parents that a prompt start to the school day is vital for good learning. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 14 14. Pupils with special educational needs have good attitudes to their work. They enjoy lessons. In small withdrawal groups, or when working individually with learning support assistants, their attitudes are often very good. Positive attitudes to learning, encouraged by the school’s supportive ethos, lead to good and sometimes very good achievement by pupils at the early stages of English language acquisition. They involve themselves in lessons with eager

p.13

Commentary

confidence and enthusiasm, and they feel valued and secure within a caring, sensitive atmosphere. In class and elsewhere, ethnic groups mix well and there is no obvious racial tension.

p.14

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 45 0 0 White – Irish 8 0 0 White – any other White background 71 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 6 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 6 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 17 0 0 Black or Black British – African 126 4 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 15 0 0 Any other ethnic group 34 0 0

p.14

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.14

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.2 School data 0.1 National data 5.4 National data 0.5

p.14

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory overall. The curriculum is satisfactory . However, issues relating to the curriculum mean that limited time is given to teaching geography and, as a result, pupils do not achieve in the way that they should in the subject. Pupils are cared for very well and the school has a good partnership with parents and the community.

p.14

Teaching and learning

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory but best in one of the Year 6 classes.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall, teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. • The use of assessment information to plan work to meet the needs of all pupils is unsatisfactory. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 15 • In some lessons in the Reception classes, teachers do not allow children to be as independent as they could be and make choices for themselves. • Relationships between pupils and teachers are highly respectful and very positive. • Not all teachers are fully aware of the practical implications of teaching pupils at the early stages of learning English. • Marking does not always ensure that pupils know exactly how they can improve their work. • The teaching of geography is unsatisfactory. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 16

p.14

SUMMARY OF TEACHING OBSERVED DURING THE INSPECTION IN LESSONS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.16

SUMMARY OF TEACHING OBSERVED DURING THE INSPECTION IN LESSONS

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

p.16

Commentary

15. The good quality teaching identified at the time of the last inspection has not been maintained and teaching is now satisfactory overall. In nine tenths of the lessons observed, teaching and learning were at least satisfactory. In almost a third of lessons, teaching and learning were good or very good. In five lessons, teaching was unsatisfactory. This occurred across the school and was characterised by a lack of pace in lessons that resulted in pupils losing concentration and not behaving well, weak subject knowledge and inappropriate match of work to the needs of pupils. Whilst teaching is broadly satisfactory, examples of good teaching were seen in all year groups, and teaching was particularly good in one of the Year 6 classes.

p.16

Commentary

16. Since the last inspection, there has been a considerable turnover of staff. A high percentage of teachers have been at the school for less than 2 years. However, the quality of teaching and learning are improving. This is due to the stability in the leadership and shared commitment to raising standards, as seen in the 2003 National Curriculum test results for Year 6 pupils in English and science.

p.16

Commentary

17. The teaching of English and mathematics has benefited from the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, and is satisfactory overall, with examples of good and very good practice. Although satisfactory use is made of literacy skills across the curriculum, and key words are emphasised in several other subjects, there are not enough planned opportunities for pupils to extend their literacy skills in all subjects. In mathematics, despite satisfactory teaching overall, not all teachers provide sufficient opportunities to develop pupils’ mathematical language or encourage pupils to find different ways of solving problems and to explain their methods. In addition, work is not always planned to challenge pupils of different ages and levels of attainment. As a result, learning is limited. Teaching in science is satisfactory and, although a good emphasis is placed on investigational activities, all pupils are

p.16

Commentary

often given the same work. This restricts opportunities for pupils to achieve better. Since the last inspection, teachers are now more confident in the teaching of ICT and basic skills are well covered. However, the overall quality of teaching remains satisfactory because there are too few planned opportunities for pupils to use computers to enhance their learning in other subjects. No judgement is made about the quality of teaching in music, physical education and design and technology, as there was insufficient evidence to make secure judgements. In all other subjects, teaching is satisfactory except in geography where teaching is unsatisfactory. This is because the required curriculum is not covered and work is not always sufficiently challenging.

p.16

Commentary

18. Teaching and learning for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall, but varies in the different areas of learning. In particular, children's social and emotional development is often given good emphasis. This plays a significant part in helping children to take a more active part in other learning activities. In physical development, teaching is also good. In the other areas of learning, teaching is satisfactory. Where teaching is good, lessons are introduced with enthusiasm, the focus is sharp and adult intervention is used very effectively to develop children’s learning. Relationships are good and adults are sensitive to the needs of children and provide a very caring environment. However, there are less effective aspects in many areas of learning. Although staff know the children well, insufficient use is made of St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 17 assessment information at all times to provide suitably matched work and limited opportunities

p.16

Commentary

are provided for children to make choices and to learn independently. 19. Good planning is the constant factor that underpins the good and very good lessons. Lesson planning has improved since the previous inspection, but there is still room for improvement. The best planning is prepared for the literacy sessions which outlines a clear structure for the lesson and shows how the needs of pupils of different levels of attainment will be met. However, in other subjects, the quality of planning is inconsistent. Learning intentions are sometimes more descriptive of the activities to be undertaken than of what is to be learned. Furthermore, plans do not consistently identify the provision for pupils of different levels of attainment. Consequently, identical work, for example in science, is often set for all pupils and high attainers are not always sufficiently challenged. The needs of pupils with special

p.17

Commentary

educational needs and those at the early stages of learning English as an additional language are not routinely included.

p.17

Commentary

20. Most teachers manage pupils well so that behaviour in lessons is nearly always good. Of particular note is the very good management of pupils and the good relationships, which some teachers have with their pupils. Teachers are firm, but fair, in keeping order and most handle easily distracted pupils sensibly by making good use of their voices and good use of praise. Pupils know they are valued and respond well to this.

p.17

Commentary

21. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall, but varies across the school. Where teaching is good, planning clearly identifies pupils with special needs, the match of work and the support that they will be given, and so pupils achieve well in the lesson. The teaching of pupils who are not fully fluent in English is satisfactory overall, but with some good practice. Teachers generally work hard to raise levels of attainment, but their strategies to extend pupils’ speaking and listening skills in order to promote good levels of dialogue are not always effective enough across the school. Where teaching is very good, teachers use well-targeted questions at the level of pupils’ understanding, provide opportunities for pupils to contribute ideas and opinions, and are flexible in the way they simplify a question or explanation. However, this good practice is

p.17

Commentary

inconsistent and not all teachers fully understand the practical implications of teaching pupils who are at the early stages of English language acquisition.

p.17

Commentary

22. The policy of the school is for teachers to assess and evaluate pupils’ understanding of a lesson objective on the lesson plan, especially for English and mathematics, which can then be used to support planning for the next series of lessons. There was little evidence of this being done systematically throughout the school. There is no whole-school system for assessing ICT and the foundation subjects. Currently, information about pupils’ attainment and progress is not used well enough to identify all the pupils who are capable of attaining higher levels throughout the school. Pupils’ past work showed that they often complete the same tasks, regardless of their prior attainment, indicating that assessment is not used rigorously enough to ensure appropriate challenge for all pupils. Whilst pupils’ work is marked regularly, teachers seldom take the opportunity to assess its standard or to suggest ways in

p.17

Commentary

which it might be improved. Opportunities to enhance learning are missed.

p.17

The curriculum

The range of curricular opportunities that cater for the interests and needs of the pupils is satisfactory and meets statutory requirements. Satisfactory provision is made for personal, social and health education. Opportunities for enrichment of the curriculum and extra-curricular provision are good . The quality of accommodation is good . The quality and quantity of resources are satisfactory .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good range of extra-curricular activities and use of visits and visitors to enhance the curriculum. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 18 • Insufficient time is allocated to the teaching of geography. • Accommodation is good overall, although the main playground and Foundation Stage outdoor play areas are cramped. • Good use is made of local business community projects to support reading, speaking and listening.

p.17

Commentary

23. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular sporting and creative activities. A homework club is also provided and booster classes for English and mathematics. Many teachers and learning support assistants give generously of their time to provide these activities, which are enthusiastically supported by a high percentage of the pupils. Visits and visitors to the school make a significant contribution to the curriculum and support many subjects well. Pupils in Year 6 enjoy a residential visit that includes environmental and outdoor adventure pursuits. All these extra activities make the curriculum more relevant and interesting for pupils, and promote interest and motivation in their work and their personal and social skills.

p.18

Commentary

24. It is evident from class timetables and teachers’ planning that insufficient time is allocated to the teaching of geography. This means that, while pupils cover the required curriculum, they are unable to do so in sufficient depth and so pupils do not achieve well enough. Timetables indicate sound coverage of the curriculum, but the school needs to look more closely at the use of time in the school day in individual classes. For example, it was noted during the inspection that a numeracy lesson in Year 2 was only 35 minutes in length.

p.18

Commentary

25. An initiative with the local business community is providing good support for pupils at the early stages of English language acquisition and lower attaining readers. Volunteers work well with individual pupils to support reading and language development through games, discussions and reading. This is impacting positively on pupils’ reading, listening and language development.

p.18

Commentary

26. The relatively new building provides good accommodation, which meets the needs of the curriculum and pupils well. The school is a safe, attractive and positive learning environment for pupils. The playground has been imaginatively furnished with large apparatus and covered seated areas. However, at lunchtimes the lack of space restricts pupils’ movements. The smaller Foundation Stage play area is cramped when used by children from the nursery and reception classes. An enclosed, all weather surface area for football and netball provides a safe environment for large ball games and takes some of the pressure away from the main playground. The whole site is well maintained.

p.18

Commentary

27. Although the ground floor has ease of access for disabled pupils, staff and visitors and an adapted toilet, there is no disabled access to the first floor. This has been recognised as an area for improvement by the governing body.

p.18

Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good . The school provides satisfactory support, advice and guidance for pupils based on the monitoring of their achievements and personal development. Pupils’ views are sought and valued so that they can play a part in the work of the school.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils are very safe and secure while in school and out on trips. • New children and their families are settled very well into school life and routines. • The school provides very good support for pupils with social, domestic and medical problems. • Pupils are very confident to turn to adults in the school for help. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 19 • The school does not make sufficient use of information about how each pupil is getting on to provide accurate and well-targeted support for improved achievement. • Pupils are not given enough chances to take responsibility for their own learning. • The support from external agencies is good.

p.18

Commentary

28. Pupils are confident and at ease with school life. They feel that they are very well looked after and can always find someone to turn to, whether it is an adult or “buddy”, when they are worried or unhappy. One boy in Year 6, when asked what he really liked about school, said, “St Anne’s is perfect for us!” Children new to the school are settled in very well to the nursery and reception classes. Preliminary visits to the children’s homes and a better understanding of domestic circumstances lead to informed support once the children are in the school. Families, whatever language they speak, feel particularly welcomed and this confidence in the school is reflected well in how soon the children learn to cope with daily routines.

p.19

Commentary

29. The school has very well established systems that put the safety of the pupils at the forefront. The site is assessed for risks thoroughly and regularly by the vigilant premises officer. Staff ensures that all visits out of school are carefully checked and that potential hazards are dealt with before allowing the trip to go ahead. Those staff who need to know, keep a close and sensitive eye on the few pupils who are looked after in foster homes to ensure they are settled and achieving as best they can. Procedures for child protection are well known to all staff. Links with outside agencies are used to very good effect. They support pupils with, for example autism or cystic fibrosis, so these pupils can make best possible progress despite their special needs.

p.19

Commentary

30. Overall, the school is not making sufficient use of information collected about the pupils’ progress or behaviour to pinpoint exactly what an individual pupil needs to do to get better. Frequently in lessons, there is not enough reference to previous work so that each pupil can be given a level of challenge, which is just right for him or her. Pupils, who are not yet fully fluent in English and in particular the many Portuguese speakers, sometimes do not achieve as well as other pupils because additional support is not sufficiently accurate. Staff keep thorough records of misdemeanours in the playground and who has been sent to detention. However, the school does not always use this information to see whether a different approach may have a better effect. For example, several pupils have had a high number of detentions this term without any obvious improvement in their behaviour.

p.19

Commentary

31. Pupils move on to secondary school as well-rounded citizens. Many will have had a good chance to experience some responsibility in Year 6. However, pupils are not given a sufficient chance to become fully independent and self-disciplined in how they move about the school or how they learn. In many lessons, learning targets are not simple and manageable enough for pupils to take charge of how they can improve. Opportunities for pupils to use dictionaries or to do their own research are limited. Many pupils behave well and are now ready to be trusted to play a more important role in their learning.

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The links with parents are good and the school is held in high regard by parents. Links with the local community are good and the school links with other schools and colleges are satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents support the school very well and are very appreciative of all that it does for them and their children. • The school uses its location in London well to arrange interesting visits for the pupils. • Annual reports do not all give sufficiently clear information about the progress of pupils. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 20

p.19

Commentary

32. Parents are very appreciative of the school and always find a warm welcome from teachers and support staff. The school community provides friendships and useful contacts for a substantial number of parents who arrive in the United Kingdom speaking little or no English. The school often goes beyond the call of duty to ensure that each and every pupil is found a suitable secondary school, for which the parents are extremely grateful at such a stressful time. Although the language barriers and shift work of many parents have impeded the setting up of a parent teacher association, parents are very good at attending school events. The International Evening is extremely popular and allows families from many different backgrounds to meet and share their home foods. The turnout at the pre-inspection meeting was very good and parents were extremely positive in their views of the school. Parents are good supporters of homework and many regularly hear their children read at home. However,

p.20

Commentary

there is still more that the school can do, via translation and simple information leaflets, to assist the Latin American and Portuguese families to understand how they can help their children get on in the English educational system.

p.20

Commentary

33. Annual reports are thorough in covering all the subjects of the curriculum. It is useful for parents to know what attainment level and the age standardised score their child has reached, but the reports need an additional note to explain exactly what these are in simple language, particularly for parents who are not fluent in English. Overall, teachers are not sufficiently consistent in giving a clear message on how the pupil has progressed in each subject since the previous year. Parents are told about ways in which their children can improve, but these targets are too vague and do not make accurate use of assessment information. For example, it is difficult for parents to know what to do to help if their child is given a target, which states: “to build on the good progress made this year”.

p.20

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory overall. The headteacher provides good leadership. Management is satisfactory, with some aspects that require improvement. The governors fulfil their responsibilities satisfactorily . There is a positive ethos, which is shared by the school community.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher is good. • The governing body makes a satisfactory contribution to the management of the school and is well led by the chair of governors. • The induction of teachers new to the school and professional development of staff is good. • The financial management of the school is good and the principles of best value are applied effectively. • The leadership of senior staff is now satisfactory, but its contribution to the monitoring of teaching and learning and assessment is underdeveloped.

p.20

Commentary

34. The headteacher leads her staff with a strong vision for the improvement of educational standards in the school and the successful development of the whole child. When she was appointed headteacher just over two years ago, the school had changed considerably since the last inspection in 1998. Pupils had been housed in a splendid new building and the number of pupils at the early stages of English language acquisition had increased markedly. Educational standards, though, had fallen and continued to do so until very recently. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 21 35. The headteacher attacked this problem with steely determination. Initially, in her search for remedies to the problem of falling standards, she took over too many responsibilities and was unable to delegate sufficiently to other senior managers. However, recently, with the help of the governing body, she has been able to appoint a very competent new deputy headteacher, and

p.20

Commentary

a number of new, enthusiastic key stage and subject leaders. Both she and the governors believe that the new appointments and clear definition of their roles will lead to improvement, particularly in teaching, learning and standards.

p.21

Commentary

36. For several years the monitoring of teaching and learning in the school, and use of performance data to take effective action for improvement, has been unsatisfactory. The headteacher’s own practice of monitoring teachers and their assistants is good, but has not been used effectively by other senior managers until now. New co-ordinators have this term moved rapidly to develop fresh guidelines in order to encourage all-round school improvement. The head and staff now have a shared vision and common sense of purpose in how the school can move forward successfully. A strong sense of teamwork and the whole staff’s enjoyment of life in the school were evident throughout the inspection. This is reflected in the friendliness and enthusiastic attitudes to the school of the pupils, and the deservedly high reputation the school has amongst the parents and local community.

p.21

Commentary

37. The newly elected chair of governors has a good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, and works closely and effectively with the headteacher. Several new governors have been appointed recently. They will join a governing body, which is strongly supportive of the school, especially in the pastoral sense. The governing body fulfils its statutory duties well and is very mindful of its responsibilities for inclusion in a multi-ethnic school. Governors traditionally rely on the expertise of the headteacher to guide them, and frequently feel that they may not have the expertise or technical knowledge to challenge school managers, or act as a ‘critical friend’, so this area is underdeveloped.

p.21

Commentary

38. The school has a detailed and thoughtful development plan, which identifies clear priorities. It is based upon an honest and realistic self-evaluation. This has enabled the management to identify accurately the main areas for improvement, which the inspection confirmed. A major priority for the headteacher has been the professional development of staff. As a result, there is a coherent training pattern for all staff, which begins with good induction to the school for teachers and teaching assistants. This continues with an effective structure of ongoing appraisal and target setting for all. This takes time to produce all round improvement, but its benefits are now becoming more obvious. The school, like many in city centres, struggles hard to find and retain staff, but attracts and trains new teachers well. This includes student teachers, as the school has close links with a teacher training college.

p.21

Commentary

39. The school makes good use of its financial and other resources. The bursar is well versed in the art of getting best value for money. The school values its financial independence and the management runs a tight ship. This is proven by its commitment to a stringent annual audit, which it finds very helpful. Specific grants are used well to help the school to achieve educational priorities. An example of this is the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG), which is used effectively to promote English language development in a school of 35 different nationalities. The school uses its money well, rarely carrying forward an annual surplus of more than three per cent of its budget.

p.21

Commentary

40. St Anne’s school has a strong leader and committed staff. This and the recent senior management appointments places it in a good position to continue the improvement noted in the last year.

p.21

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2002

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,399,512 Balance from previous year 5,6915 St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 22 Total expenditure 1,375,228 Balance carried forward to the next 81,199 Expenditure per pupil 3,383

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. Overall, provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory . When children enter the nursery, a significant number of them do not speak English at home and so their command of the language is limited. Overall, their attainment on entry is below that expected of children of a similar age, particularly in English language skills and in some aspects of their social skills. Overall, children make a positive start to school. Their achievement is satisfactory overall but good in aspects of personal, social and emotional development and physical development. In all other areas of learning, children achieve satisfactorily. Children with special educational needs and those with little English are identified early, monitored and supported well, and make good progress. They are fully integrated in all areas of learning.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. Children receive a satisfactory curriculum in the reception and nursery classes. All areas of learning are appropriately planned for, which is an improvement since the last inspection. Although activities are generally matched to the needs of children there are insufficient planned opportunities for children to work independently. In all classes, adults concentrate on the development of language and social skills and, as a result, children make a positive start to school. In the nursery, provision is well managed and children’s progress is carefully monitored. All adults manage children well and the good ratio of adults to children helps to ensure needs are met. Leadership of the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall.

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Considerable emphasis is placed on children’s social and emotional development by staff. • Children achieve well because of the high expectations set by staff. • Children make good progress and reach standards expected for their age by the end of reception.

p.22

Commentary

43. When children enter the school, their personal, social and emotional skills are below average for a variety of reasons. They settle in nursery well and achieve well in this area of learning. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Provision in the nursery is organised to support children’s understanding of social and personal skills. They are encouraged to work with others and to work independently. This is a particular challenge, as many children do not speak the same language as each other when they enter school. There is, however, a common starting point for staff to build on; most children have an understanding of what is right and what is wrong, and how they should behave at school. Children are beginning to play well together even at this early stage in the year. Support staff actively help them to seek out interesting St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 23 activities and to concentrate and see tasks through. Further planned development of outdoor

p.22

Commentary

44. Children are helped to understand how to look after themselves and their belongings. They learn how to take turns and take responsibility, for instance, at snack time they are encouraged to take turns in handing out drinks, to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and to take turns in collecting in empty cups. This is challenging for some very young children, but is sensitively handled by the teacher. They learn to sit and concentrate on stories and to take part in singing rhymes and simple songs. In the reception classes, this good practice largely continues, but there are fewer opportunities for children to make choices or to take control of their own learning. By the time children have completed the Foundation Stage, standards are likely to attain the goals children are expected to reach.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff recognise the importance of focusing on speaking and listening skills. • The work of some support staff is very good. • Support from parents is very good. • There are insufficient opportunities for children to generate their own language and develop independent learning skills in the reception classes. • Assessment information is not well used to plan activities to match the needs of all children.

p.23

Commentary

45. Overall, children in the nursery and reception classes achieve satisfactorily and for those at the early stages of English language acquisition, achievement in speaking and listening is good. However, standards for many children remains below the level expected for their age in reading and writing by the end of the Foundation Stage. This is partly because a significant number of children started school at the early stages of English language acquisition and assessment information is not well used to plan work to meet the needs of all children.

p.23

Commentary

46. The quality of teaching and learning overall is satisfactory with some strong features. Some teachers and support staff have a good understanding of the needs of the children. Activities are well organised and most motivate the children to engage with the task and to learn. Support for children at the early stages of learning English in the nursery from one assistant is very good. The best teaching is characterised by open-ended questioning and enthusiastic delivery. Teachers demonstrate that they expect children to be able to concentrate and behave co-operatively and, as a result, the pace of lessons is good and expectations of good behaviour are fulfilled. In the nursery, emphasis is placed on acquisition of language and social skills. In the reception classes, emphasis is placed on getting ready to write. Activities provide opportunities to develop fine motor skills, for example, cutting, sticking and small world play.

p.23

Commentary

Development of reading skills is also a priority. Most lessons are based on the development of these skills, including reinforcement of initial sounds and reading of simple words. Rhymes and songs are used frequently to reinforce skills. Opportunities for children to develop their independent learning skills, however, are limited by inappropriate adult intervention and lack of choice in tasks and resources.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is satisfactory . St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 24

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities to reinforce knowledge of number sequencing are frequently made by all staff in a range of relevant situations. • Children’s limited language skills adversely affect their ability to explain their mathematical ideas. • Some mathematical tasks are not sufficiently challenging.

p.24

Commentary

47. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children’s attainment in their mathematical knowledge and understanding is just below that expected for their age. Starting from a low base, children achieve satisfactorily. Overall, standards are hindered by limited language skills and the lack of challenge at times for higher attaining children.

p.24

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning in lessons seen in mathematical development were satisfactory. Mathematical language is developed satisfactorily through practical tasks, for example, through songs, rhymes and stories. In the nursery, snack times are used to reinforce concepts such as ‘behind’, ‘in front of’, ‘on the top’ and ‘on the bottom’. In the reception classes, learning is made more active through the story of ‘The Shape Bear’, where children confidently contribute to the class discussions on the identification of shapes. However, the time given to some discussion periods and whole-class activities is too long, and children with limited concentration start to lose interest. As a result, learning is limited. In addition, insufficient use is made of assessment information to plan work to meet the needs of all children, especially the higher attainers.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good opportunities are provided to raise awareness of the natural environment. • Learning is sometime limited because monitoring is not sufficiently rigorous to ensure that all children experience fully the range of activities on offer

p.24

Commentary

49. Attainment by the end of the Foundation Stage for many children is below the level expected. This is because too many children are unable to use language confidently to extend their early scientific, historical and geographical knowledge. When they start in the nursery, a small number of children have a sound basic general knowledge but the majority have very limited experience and understanding of the world around them. Children are curious and interested in their surroundings and enjoy exploring the new experiences offered in all classes. In the nursery, they learn about their bodies and how they grow and develop, whilst in the reception classes they confidently identify and name the different parts of the body.

p.24

Commentary

50. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the nursery, staff are very well deployed and use skilful questions to probe the children’s understanding. They listen to what children have to say and through careful questioning attempt to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. However, the monitoring of individual children’s experiences is not always sufficiently rigorous to ensure that all children experience fully the planned activities.

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 25 Provision for physical development is good overall.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are developing well their ability to control their bodies when they run and make larger movements. • Fine motor skills are not as well developed and are a focus for work in the Foundation Stage.

p.25

Commentary

51. Many children enter the nursery with underdeveloped physical skills. Great emphasis is placed on physical development in both the nursery and reception. Children achieve well and are likely to attain the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. Further provision for developing children’s physical skills has been recognised as an area for development for the school.

p.25

Commentary

52. Teaching and learning are good. The best examples showed high expectations of children’s ability to participate in physical activities, and children gained a lot from each other’s demonstrations and teachers’ feedback as to how they could improve. Routines and instructions are clear, and teachers have confident and supportive relationships with children. Good links are made with literacy and music as children sing a song about different types of movement, for example, flying, jumping and hopping. This supports children at the early stages of learning English particularly well. Assessment is used effectively from previous learning to inform teaching and so to move children’s learning forward.

p.25

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for Creative development is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are enhanced in both the nursery and reception by singing and roleplay. • Creative development is limited by over-directed tasks in reception.

p.25

Commentary

53. Children’s attainment is slightly below the expected level by the end of the Foundation Stage. Overall, children achieve satisfactorily. In both the nursery and reception classes, children experience a wide range of activities, which develop their creative skills satisfactorily. For example, children use the role-play areas regularly to act out domestic scenes from ‘Kipper’s House’ and there is photographic evidence that a range of imaginative backgrounds is used during the year. In the nursery’s outdoor area, there are suitable opportunities for children to use musical instruments and a variety of media to develop their early painting and drawing skills. Children enthusiastically take part in these activities and are well supported by staff.

p.25

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the reception classes, learning is limited in creative tasks by a strong element of guidance by adults. Most tasks are over-prepared and learning is often more about, for example, colour identification, fine motor and brush skills rather than creativity and independent learning.

p.25

ENGLISH

Provision of English has improved in the last year and is now satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in speaking, listening, reading and writing are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 6. • Standards in listening and reading for Year 2 pupils are in line with expectations, but standards in speaking and writing are below expectations. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and their achievement overall is satisfactory. • Good support is provided for pupils with special educational needs and those at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. • Teaching is variable, because there is a lack of consistent monitoring of teaching and learning. • Handwriting is not consistent across the school.

p.26

Commentary

55. Standards are generally lower than those reported at the last inspection. However, standards historically have fallen steadily in the last four years, but this decline has now been arrested with strikingly better standards being reached by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 in the most recent national tests in 2003. These indicate, and are confirmed by inspection evidence, that pupils are reaching the level expected nationally in reading and writing by the time they leave the school by the end of Year 6. On entry to school, a significant number of pupils have low levels of English language communication skills. Many achieve well and sometimes very well as they get older and their command of English grows. Although, their writing and speaking skills are lower than national expectations at the end of Year 2, pupils’ increasing confidence in the understanding of the English language leads to sufficient progress being made for them to

p.26

Commentary

reach nationally expected standards by Year 6. This is mainly due to the quality of support by teachers and teaching and language assistants for the targeted pupils at the early stages of English language acquisition and for those with special educational needs. The school’s detailed tracking system indicate that nearly all pupils achieve their targets and a significant number achieve better than expected, by Year 6.

p.26

Commentary

56. Overall, standards of speaking on entry to school are below expectations. By the end of Year 2, this is still the case because many pupils are still not fully fluent in English and some do not develop English language skills outside school. Consequently, they lack confidence and the vocabulary to sustain a conversation or answer questions in detail . However, with considerable encouragement from adults, their speaking skills develop significantly so that, by Year 6, most pupils discuss and express their ideas clearly. Throughout the school, pupils listen attentively to teachers and other adults, and respond accordingly when asked to express themselves verbally or through their work.

p.26

Commentary

57. Reading standards for Year 2 and 6 pupils are in line with expectations. In Year 2, many pupils read with enjoyment and accuracy and confidently talk about the storylines and express their preferences. Their progress continues throughout the next four years, and by Year 6, many are avid readers; one boy in Year 6 read an extract from Macbeth enthusiastically to an inspector. Pupils have developed good comprehension skills and name their favourite authors and books. These features are common to all levels of attainment. The school has a well-resourced library. Pupils use it regularly and most understand how to choose and find books.

p.26

Commentary

58. Standards in writing are below expectations at the end of Year 2. This is partly a reflection of many pupils’ not having English as their home language. Few pupils in Year 2 write at any St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 27 length and, in many instances, their writing shows insufficient understanding of sentence structure and spelling. However, by Year 6, most pupils are writing in a range of styles in a thoughtful way. Pupils in Year 6, for example, wrote a poem about the loneliness of the moon with such lines as ‘lonely, just standing there with a single, sour tear’ and ‘searching the sky for a friend, seeking for all eternity’. In most cases, pupils write carefully and legibly with a pencil. However, although they say they practise handwriting ‘frequently’, there is no common style and there are considerable variations in their presentation of their handwriting. Also, few pupils are given opportunities to develop the skill of writing with a pen.

p.26

Commentary

59. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, but variable. Pupil’s learning reflects this variation so that, whilst some make good progress, most of them make satisfactory progress. Very good teaching, as that observed in Year 6, is characterised by very good subject knowledge, very good relationships between teacher and pupils, and very well focused support from classroom assistants. This enables all pupils to achieve as well as possible, whatever their ability or prior knowledge of English. High expectation and challenge also encourages pupils to learn rapidly and achieve well. Teaching is less effective when too long is spent on the carpet, questions used do not encourage extended responses and teaching assistants are not used effectively for parts of lessons. Consequently, some pupils, especially higher attainers, are insufficiently challenged, and are not achieving as well as they should.

p.27

Commentary

Teachers’ use of assessment data is generally satisfactory, although the achievement of some pupils would be more consistent if their individual needs were more clearly identified in the day-to-day planning. 60. The leadership and management of English are satisfactory. A new, well-qualified teacher has recently been appointed as the subject leader. She is brimming over with ideas for the development of English in order to improve standards. This includes more consistent teaching of guided reading, better resources for teachers’ planning, and more regular monitoring of teaching and learning throughout the school. Additionally, more training for teachers in moderating the standards of pupils is planned to improve teacher assessment. The school is therefore well placed to continue the improvement shown in 2003.

p.27

Language and literacy across the curriculum

61. The development of literacy skills in other areas of the curriculum is satisfactory. In mathematics and science, for example, teachers concentrate on explaining the meaning of words linked to the subjects. There are good arrangements for helping pupils who, on arrival at the school, have little or no English. In most lessons, pupils are encouraged to speak although not all questioning is effective. Writing in other subjects, such as history and geography, is very patchy and could be used more. The overuse of worksheets and compilation of lists do not encourage sentence building and creativity.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

The provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by Year 2 and Year 6 are below national expectations. • Teaching is satisfactory overall but varies from unsatisfactory to good. • The use of assessment information to inform planning and to match work to pupils’ needs is unsatisfactory. • Overall, learning support assistants help pupils to learn well. • Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good. • The vision of the new co-ordinator is good.

p.27

Commentary

St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 28 62. Standards are below the expected levels for pupils in both Years 2 and 6. Overall, too few pupils are working at the higher levels. The is partly due to teachers not using their assessment of pupils well enough to ensure that work for higher attaining pupils is well matched and challenging. In addition, the school’s main focus has been on raising standards in English, which has contributed to some pupils not achieving to their capacity in mathematics. Overall, pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. No differences were observed between the achievement of boys and girls.

p.28

Commentary

63. In 2002, national test results for Year 6 pupils were well below average, and were above average at the end of Year 2. Results for 2003 show little improvement for Year 6 pupils and a slight decline for pupils in Year 2.

p.28

Commentary

64. Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teaching is often good in Years 5 and 6 and accelerates learning. This results in satisfactory progress over time and satisfactory achievement of pupils by Year 6. Pupils generally enter school with below average standards and by Year 6 are close to the expected Level 4. Where teaching and learning is good, teachers use pupils’ questions, comments and mistakes well as teaching points in order to develop pupils’ understanding. In the unsatisfactory lessons and in some satisfactory lessons, these opportunities are often missed. Few teachers stress the mathematical vocabulary of a lesson or encourage pupils to expand on their explanations when giving an answer, in order to share different methods and to develop general language skills as well as mathematical language. Learning support assistants are generally well deployed to teach or support groups

p.28

Commentary

of pupils. The majority have a clear understanding of their role and support pupils well. Teachers manage their pupils well, which results in pupils working well together in lessons and wanting to learn. They co-operate well in group activities. 65. Although teachers look at pupils’books and work is regularly corrected, little written guidance is provided about where improvements can be made. This is a missed opportunity to direct, reinforce and extend learning. Individual targets are set for pupils in some classes, but not in others and where targets are set they are not fully understood by all pupils. Pupils are unsure of what they should aspire to and how to meet their aspirations. In lessons, where the introductory sessions are good, pupils are often encouraged to use small white boards to write down their answers and show them to the teacher. This encourages all pupils to take part in the introduction and is a good way for teachers to quickly assess pupils’ understanding.

p.28

Commentary

However, many teachers do not use this method of engaging and assessing pupils when it is appropriate.

p.28

Commentary

66. Leadership and management of the subject are now satisfactory. The subject was without a co-ordinator for some considerable time, which had an adverse effect on the standards and the quality of teaching and learning. However, the recently appointed deputy headteacher has assessed well the strengths and weaknesses of the subject, and has developed a clear plan to support an improvement in standards and pupils’ achievement. Her vision for the subject is good. As well as the co-ordinator, a “shadow” co-ordinator has been appointed to give further support. The use of ICT to support learning is underdeveloped.

p.28

Mathematics across the curriculum

67. There was minimal evidence of mathematics being included in teaching and learning in other subjects. Although the use of mathematics is good in science and supports the subject well, opportunities are missed elsewhere. For example, opportunities to use dates and timelines in history are missed, or to carefully measure plans in design and technology.

p.28

SCIENCE

Provision in science is satisfactory overall, but is variable across the school.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 29 • There is a programme of revision in place for pupils in Year 6, which is being effectively used to help pupils attain better results in national tests. • Standards by the end of Year 2 are below expectations. • The teaching of investigative skills has improved since the last inspection. • Assessment information is not always used well to plan work to meet the needs of all pupils. • There are good examples of numeracy being used to support science. • There are weaknesses in the management of the subject.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

68. Standards for Year 2 pupils are below national expectations. Teachers’ assessments in 2002 indicated that a high proportion of pupils in Year 2 reached the expected levels, but few attained the higher Level 3. This is still the case. The current below average standards are partly because many pupils started Year 1 with limited scientific knowledge and understanding, a significant number of them are not fully fluent in English and work is not always well planned to meet the needs of all pupils. For pupils in Year 6, standards are in line with national expectations and are better than the 2002 National Curriculum test results, which were well below the national as well as the similar schools averages. For 2003, results for Year 6 pupils show significant improvements, especially at the higher Level 5, but with no significant change for pupils in Year 2. Test results for 2003 are similar to inspection findings.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

69. Overall, pupils’ achievement in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory but variable. It is particularly good in Year 6 due to the school’s planned programme of revision. Pupils in Year 2 learn about the importance of a balanced diet. They are starting to develop the skills of scientific enquiry, for example, when they investigate the movement of a car on different surfaces and know that pushing, pulling and twisting are examples of different types of forces. In Year 6, all aspects of science are covered and previous work shows that the school’s emphasis on experimental and investigative science is having a positive effect on pupils’ attainment. Most pupils plan and conduct scientific enquiry in a logical manner. This was seen in an experiment investigating the best soil for growing cress seeds. Higher attaining pupils confidently explained what they thought would happen and why, and understood why the test must be fair. Earlier work show

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

that the majority of pupils have made considerable progress in answering factual questions, using appropriate scientific terminology and providing definitions and explanations in a wide range of contexts. However, an examination of the work covered in the previous year indicates that the quality and quantity of recorded work is inconsistent across the classes and year groups. In addition, work is not always sufficiently challenging to meet the needs of higher attaining pupils and is sometimes insufficiently adapted to meet the needs of pupils at the early stages of learning English in Years 1 to 5. Marking is inconsistent and work is not always well presented. There are good examples that work in science has contributed to pupils’ numeracy skills in the use of tables to present findings and graphs to display information. However, the overuse of worksheets limits opportunities for pupils to extend their literacy skills.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

70. The quality of teaching and learning, including that for pupils with special educational needs and those who are not yet fully fluent in English, is satisfactory overall. In lessons observed, it ranged from satisfactory to very good, especially in one Year 6 class. In the best teaching, pupils’ interest and concentration are engaged by enthusiastic presentations and a variety of methods that require their active involvement. Clear explanations improve pupils’ understanding and there is a good focus on developing key vocabulary and clear scientific language. This was particularly well demonstrated in a Year 6 lesson, where the pupils were discussing the different types of soils. Questions were carefully targeted to individual pupils including those at the early stages of English language acquisition. These helped to check and challenge pupils’ thinking and understanding and ensured that there were equal opportunities

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

for both boys and girls to answer questions and make contributions. However, teachers’ planning and a scrutiny of pupils’ earlier work reveal that there are some weaknesses in current practice which sometimes limit pupils’ achievements. For example, short-term plans do not always take sufficient account of the range of needs in classes nor make appropriate reference to the National Curriculum levels of attainment that pupils are expected to reach. Whilst there are assessments made at the end of units of work and samples of investigative St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 30 work retained, insufficient use is made of the information gained from assessments in planning pupils’ future work.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

71. The management of the subject is satisfactory. Planning and samples of pupils’ work have been evaluated to provide a picture of provision across the school, but there are still inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning and between classes, which need to be resolved. This is because teaching and learning of the subject have not been rigorously monitored in order to identify what needs improving. Despite the weaknesses identified, overall, improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers and teaching assistants are competent and confident in using ICT equipment. • Pupils are enthusiastic about work in ICT. • ICT in not well used to support learning in other subjects. • The school has good resources for the teaching of ICT, including an after school club. • No formal assessments are made of pupils’ levels of attainment.

p.30

Commentary

72. Standards in ICT have been maintained since the last inspection and are in line with those expected nationally for pupils in Years 2 and 6. The school has improved its provision of hardware and this has had a positive impact on pupils’ access and how they gain in ICT capability. All pupils achieve satisfactorily irrespective of their age, gender, ethnicity or social circumstance. By Year 6, most pupils have a secure knowledge of all aspects of ICT. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school. Teachers’ subject knowledge on the whole is good, showing confidence and the ability to respond to pupils’ questions accurately and thoroughly. Technical vocabulary is used frequently. Where teaching is good, lessons are delivered at a brisk pace and this enables pupils to achieve much within a relatively short time. In these sessions, pupils are challenged by the activities presented and

p.30

Commentary

persevere until they have successfully completed their tasks. Teaching assistants also demonstrate a relatively high level of ICT capability.

p.30

Commentary

73. Pupils’ enthusiasm for ICT assists them to work hard and to use thinking skills developed in other contexts to gain, and retain, skills and knowledge in the subject. Pupils’ ability to work collaboratively is particularly good, with pupils talking, advising and supporting each other well.

p.30

Commentary

74. The school has used available funds and expertise well in providing accommodation and resources of good quality. Each area of the ICT curriculum is supported by relevant equipment and ongoing training means that teachers are able to make good use of resources to support their teaching.

p.30

Commentary

75. Leadership and management are satisfactory but have some weaknesses. Although the subject co-ordinator is now giving a clear sense of direction for the development of the subject the monitoring of teaching and learning has still to be established in order to identify precisely where support of teaching is required. The use of assessment information to plan work to meet the wide range of needs in the class is planned but not yet implemented.

p.30

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

76. This aspect of ICT is underdeveloped and is not yet systematically planned for in many classes. The few examples seen were mainly to support presentation of data in mathematics St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 31 and for short pieces of word processing. Planned opportunities for pupils to use ICT to support learning in other subjects are limited.

p.30

HUMANITIES

Religious education is to be inspected as part of Section 23 of the Education Act and will be published as a separate report. Three history lessons were observed during the inspection. No lessons in geography were seen, but in both subjects a scrutiny of pupils’ books and teachers’ planning, together with discussions with pupils, were undertaken.

p.31

Geography

Provision for geography is unsatisfactory .

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below those expected nationally for pupils by the end of Year 6. • Insufficient time is allocated to teaching the subject to ensure that pupils gain adequate knowledge and improve geographical skills. • Literacy skills are insufficiently promoted.

p.31

Commentary

77. Standards are below the levels expected nationally by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The achievement of pupils, whatever their ability, gender or ethnic background is unsatisfactory. This is because insufficient time is devoted to the subject in order to develop satisfactory geographical skills and knowledge. There was no judgement of standards in geography at the last inspection.

p.31

Commentary

78. There was little evidence of geographical studies in pupils’ books and, in the one lesson observed pupils struggled to understand the differences between life in the city and life on a remote island. Conversations with pupils in Year 6 confirmed that, although they have some knowledge of basic facts such as names of countries in Europe, deeper understanding of the geography of these countries is limited. They have little knowledge of environmental issues or geographical investigation and research.

p.31

Commentary

79. Teachers take few opportunities to use the wide diversity of their pupils’ backgrounds as a practical aid to geographical studies. (Teaching is unsatisfactory because teachers are unable to devote enough time to develop geographical learning skills and knowledge in any depth).

p.31

Commentary

80. The newly appointed subject leader has had no opportunity yet to address the weaknesses in standards, to monitor teaching and learning, or improve the use of literacy and ICT skills in the subject.

p.31

History

Provision for history in the school is satisfactory.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy their historical studies, especially during practical work. • Teaching and learning across the school are too inconsistent. • There is no consistent way of checking how well pupils are doing.

p.31

Commentary

St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 32 81. Standards of attainment are in line with those expected nationally by the end of Year 6. Pupils make steady progress through the school and achieve satisfactorily whatever their ability, gender or ethnic background. No judgement of standards in history was made in the last inspection report.

p.32

Commentary

82. A scrutiny of the work in Years 1 and 2 shows pupils gaining satisfactory knowledge of famous people in history such as Florence Nightingale and Marco Polo, and having the ability to make sensible comments on differences between schools now and in the past. In conversation with pupils from Year 6, they showed a satisfactory knowledge of historical studies of the Victorians and a famous inspirational teacher in Lambeth. Throughout the school, pupils’ knowledge of historical facts is better than their skills of historical research, and this impedes their study of history in depth.

p.32

Commentary

83. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. During the inspection it ranged from satisfactory to very good. The very good teaching in one Year 6, involved pupils in dramatic miming of the story of Pheidippides at Marathon, followed by imaginative ideas for creative writing. Very good opportunities were provided for the development of literacy skills, in addition to providing a hugely enjoyable learning experience for the pupils. The consistent development of historical and literacy skills, and secure knowledge of history is not always present in some teaching in the school. Pupils clearly enjoy history, especially when actively involved in their studies through visits and handling artefacts, which benefits their learning.

p.32

Commentary

84. Leadership and management of history are satisfactory. However, there are weaknesses in assessment and, as a result teachers do not always plan work that challenges and meets the needs of all pupils.

p.32

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

One lesson was seen in design and technology, one in physical education, two in art and design and two in music. In all subjects, a scrutiny of pupils’ books, teachers’ planning and displays was undertaken, but not enough evidence was available to make overall judgements on provision, standards, teaching and achievement in design and technology, music and physical education. As a result, no report is made on physical education, music and design and technology.

p.32

Art and design

The provision in art and design is satisfactory .

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors. • Unsatisfactory use is made of assessment to inform planning.

p.32

Commentary

85. Standards in art and design for Year 2 and 6 pupils are in line with national expectations. From the two lessons observed, displays of artwork and analysis of evidence provided by the school, teaching in art and design is satisfactory and results in satisfactory learning by pupils. Overall, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

p.32

Commentary

86. The range of activities to support art and design is good. After-school activities include an art club for pupils in Years 3 to 6. Visits are organised to the Tate Gallery and art workshops have been held at the school. This results in pupils enjoying art lessons and the art and design curriculum. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 33 87. The use of assessment information is unsatisfactory and does not inform teachers’ planning in order to ensure that work is well matched to the needs of individuals or groups of pupils and to firmly track progress.

p.32

Commentary

88. It is not possible to make a judgement on the quality of the leadership of the subject as the co- ordinator was on maternity leave at the time of the inspection. However, evidence indicates that her leadership is at least satisfactory. Judgements are similar to the previous inspection report.

p.33

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

No lessons were observed in this aspect of work so no overall judgement on provision can be made. There is a well-organised programme of work for all classes and the subject is given full recognition as part of the curriculum. Lessons are timetabled for classes on a weekly basis and good use is made of outside agencies to enhance the subject. St Anne’s VA RC Primary School 34

p.33

Inspection judgement Grade

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’achievement 4

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

Pupils’attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

p.34

Inspection judgement Grade

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

p.34