St Anne's Catholic Primary School

Inspection Report St Anne's Catholic Primary School

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103434 Unique Reference Number Birmingham LEA 276919 Inspection number 10 October 2005 to 11 October 2005 Inspection dates Martin Cole RISP Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Lowe Street School address Primary Type of school Birmingham Voluntary aided School category West Midlands B12 0ER 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 0121 7725037 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0121 753 0732 Fax number 161 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Bernadette Keenan Headteacher 31 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276919 10 October 2005 - 4 to 11 11 October 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

St. Anne’s is a small, inner-city primary school serving an area with a high level of deprivation. Almost half of the pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is high by national standards. There is a good deal of movement in and out of nearby housing so that the number of pupils who join or leave the school in the middle of their primary education is about double that usually found. Although originally established to educate Catholic pupils, only a small minority of present pupils are Catholic. This reflects the fact that the area around the school is home mostly to minority ethnic families. The school now welcomes pupils of all faiths. The great majority of pupils are from a variety of minority ethnic backgrounds and for about a quarter of them English is an additional language. About one pupil in ten is at an early stage of acquiring English. There are rather more pupils with special educational needs than is typical for a school of this size.

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Description of the school

The school has been through a period of significant disruption since the last inspection. The leadership of the school is now settled. A new permanent headteacher was appointed in January 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 10 October 2005 to 11 October 2005

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Grade: 3

The school shows a satisfactory level of effectiveness and provides satisfactory value for money. Pupils are achieving satisfactorily and the quality and standards in the reception class are good. Pupils’ personal development is also satisfactory. Overall, the teaching and the curriculum provided for pupils are satisfactory but not as lively as necessary to inspire the best learning. The quality of care, support and guidance for pupils is good. The school has improved satisfactorily since the previous inspection. Most of this improvement has been quite recent and brought about by the good leadership and management being provided by a new headteacher and new senior governors. There is an accurate understanding of the school’s performance and a determined commitment to improvement.. Brisk and effective action has already led to significant improvement and there is a good capacity for more. Improvement is

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Grade: 3

aided by the school’s strong partnership with the personnel providing the local authority’s programme of intensive support and with the Highgate Education Action Zone. Grade: 3

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What the school should do to improve further

• Continue to develop the new checks on teaching, learning and pupils’ progress to identify precise ways to bring about improvement. • Raise the quality of teaching so that more lessons are brisk, lively in content and presentation, and give opportunities for pupils to learn actively. • Develop closer links between subjects of the curriculum to increase the interest and relevance of the work given to pupils and to extend opportunities for them to apply skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT).

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Grade: 3

The school and inspectors agree that records of pupils’ performance show that achievement and standards are satisfactory. Pupils begin at the school with attainment which is clearly below that often found at this stage. In part this reflects the fact that an above average proportion of pupils have special educational needs. Also, a significant number of pupils start at the school at an early stage of acquiring English. Pupils get off to a good start in the reception class where good provision leads to good progress. The good help given to children with little English is successful in improving their language skills. In later years pupils make steady progress and by Year 6, pupils’ performance in national tests is below average but not exceptionally low. Pupils of all abilities and needs, including those with special educational needs progress as well as might be expected. This reflects the school’s conscientious and caring concern that

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Grade: 3

all pupils within its very diverse group, thrive. Pupils for whom English is an additional 2 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 10 October 2005 to 11 October 2005 language also make steady progress with the good support of teachers and classroom assistants. The school is setting increasingly clear and challenging targets which pupils are pursuing with growing understanding and effort. Grade: 3

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Grade: 3

Overall, pupils’ personal qualities and well-being show satisfactory development, and there are some good features. Attendance rates are satisfactory and pupils express a good level of enjoyment whilst at school. They behave well in lessons and co-operate effectively when working in groups. Outside lessons, behaviour is occasionally too boisterous. Most pupils are eager to learn, but some younger pupils do not listen well. However, when they engage in practical tasks they concentrate more, and their attitude becomes more positive. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This starts with the good provision in the reception year where children quickly settle and learn class routines for sharing and taking turns. Pupils develop a clear sense of right and wrong and learn to make respectful relationships with others. Pupils appreciate the potential of the school council to give them a voice in the school,

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Grade: 3

and they value the ‘peer mediators’ who help them to sort out problems outside the classroom. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, but some in Year 6 do not have regard to others’ safety on the staircases. They have a good awareness of a healthy diet and lifestyle, and enjoy the PE lessons and the wide range of after-school sport because of the exercise they provide. The strong emphasis on raising funds for charities results in pupils having a good awareness of the community outside school. Pupils like to gain skills but do not think much about how they are going to be useful in their later lives. Grade: 3

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Increasingly precise assessment of pupils’ progress is resulting in lesson plans which target what pupils of different abilities should achieve. This is a good feature of teaching. These are recent improvements and reflect a successful drive to improve teaching. Lessons are also benefiting from the regular checks on teaching and the wealth of support teachers are receiving from both senior staff and external advisers. Some lessons are good because they are successful in a wide variety of ways. They inspire pupils’ interest, 3 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 10 October 2005 to 11 October 2005 enjoyment, effort and attention. They set challenging tasks but are also very supportive. Often, effective help is given to those in greatest need by classroom assistants as well as by the teacher. However, not all lessons share these good features. Some lessons are not as lively or

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Grade: 3

brisk as they need to be. They do not engage pupils because too often pupils are just listening or watching, rather than doing. Well-planned, systematically provided homework, which is supported by very helpful guidance for parents, is a new strength of the school. Grade: 3

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Grade: 3

The school offers a sound curriculum in which teachers match learning tasks effectively to the pupils’ attainment levels. Staff enrich the pupils’ learning experiences through a good programme of out-of-school activities, visitors and visits to interesting places. Linked to the effective personal, social and health education programme, pupils learn about things like road safety and keeping away from drugs. They raise pupils’ interest; ‘we get to see and do new things’. The increased interest pays off in better concentration and achievement in lessons. The school has identified the need to improve links between subjects to add interest and to give more opportunities to pupils to use literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in different subjects. A good example of what is required was seen when pupils used their ICT skills to combine text and pictures in a computer-based presentation about their history topic on the Tudors.

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Grade: 2

Pupils work and play in a safe and healthy environment and are well looked after while they are at school. An atmosphere of care pervades the school. Pupils work harder and achieve better, because they know they can get help from teachers and good support from the teaching assistants in class. Outside the classrooms pupils are confident that they can get advice on problems from any adult and, in particular cases, from the learning mentor. Pupils see the new target system as a valuable guide to the kind of learning they should be achieving. The school receives good support from outside agencies in its work with pupils who have special educational needs. The school provides a sound programme of individual learning plans for these pupils. Managers and teachers also value the good advice and support they have received from the Local Authority and other bodies. The growing links the school makes with parents increase

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Grade: 2

the sense of unity and pupils’ confidence. Grade: 2 4 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 10 October 2005 to 11 October 2005

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Grade: 2

The school is benefiting from the new leadership and the partnership between the school and the local authority. Significant improvements are being made. The quality of teaching, the provision for literacy and pupils’ levels of achievement have improved in the last year. The support the school received during the period when the school lacked a permanent headteacher is continuing and is helping to ensure a rapid pace of improvement. There are also a number of new governors who are also helping to drive through the improvement programme. It is only in the last year that the school has moved forward sufficiently for overall improvement in the school since the previous inspection to be considered satisfactory. The headteacher has a clear vision of what improvements are needed and a very carefully considered strategy for bringing them about. She has established a strong and shared commitment amongst staff. The headteacher has been energetic and

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Grade: 2

enterprising in securing plenty of external support which is meeting the school’s needs. The school now knows well its strengths and the areas needing improvement. School self-evaluation has included consultation with parents and pupils and these stakeholders are already appreciative of improvements, such as in the homework. The school recognises that recent school improvements are still too new to have fed through to national test results. The school has assessed the quality of its own leadership and management as satisfactory. However, inspectors judge these processes to be good. With the headteacher’s strong leadership, the good partnership with well-informed and effective senior governors and good external guidance, the school is now well placed to improve the quality of education further and to raise standards. Grade: 2 5 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 10 October 2005 to 11 October 2005

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 10 October 2005 to 11 October 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 3 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

12 October 2005 Dear Pupils, Thank you for the friendly and helpful way you joined in the school inspection. We enjoyed meeting you and talking to some of you. Almost all of you told us you enjoyed coming to school. You said you like to learn new things and you feel you are making progress. Inspectors also think you are making progress. However, we would like the school to help you make even faster progress. We noticed that you usually like the work teachers give you. You also try to do your best. You behave well almost all of the time. Some of you in the oldest classes are a bit too energetic, though. For example, when you rush down the narrow stairs it can be dangerous! We think the school gives you good help to think about right and wrong. You also learn to get on well with each other. You told us that you find teachers helpful. We noticed, too, that the school staff take good care of you. We were pleased that you have a good idea of what teachers want you to learn.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You did well to explain to us the targets teachers give you. We think this is something the teachers are doing well. Inspectors think some of the lessons your teachers give you are good. Other lessons are partly good and could be improved. Some of you lose concentration in some lessons, particularly when you have to listen to the teacher for a long time. We have suggested to the school that it would help you to learn more if some lessons were a bit livelier. We think you should also be given more practical things to do by yourselves in lessons. As you know, there have been a lot of recent changes in the school. You have a new headteacher. Some of the governors who help look after the school are also new. You told us about some improvements you have noticed in the school. We also think the school is improving. Your headteacher and your teachers are trying hard to make sure you still learn more. We have

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

suggested they continue to do this. With our best wishes for the future, Mr Cole and Mr Wehrmeyer, the school inspectors

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