St Anne's Catholic Primary School

St Anne's Catholic Primary School Inspection report

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125219 Unique Reference Number Surrey Local Authority 293230 Inspection number 17 °18 July 2007 Inspection dates Christopher Gray Reporting inspector

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

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Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 386 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Bernard Peecock Chair Mr Chris Donovan Headteacher 14 January 2002 Date of previous school inspection Court Road School address Banstead SM7 2PH

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01737 350012 Telephone number 01737 373589 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 17 °18 July 2007 Inspection dates 293230 Inspection number .

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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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is larger than most. Many pupils come from socially advantaged backgrounds. The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority groups is well below average and very few are at the early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is well below what is normally found. Before the appointment of the present headteacher in September 2006, the school had experienced a long period of instability at senior management level.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school that is rapidly improving. The feature which stands out most for many parents is its strong Catholic ethos. As one parent wrote, 'The pastoral side of the school is very strong and provides a happy and safe community.' Many parents wrote to say similar things. A result of this effective pastoral work is pupils' good personal development. They say that they enjoy school very much, and this is clear in most lessons and round the school. Their behaviour is good and they reflect well the Christian values of care and compassion for those less fortunate than themselves. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. When children enter the school, they have skills which are well above those found nationally. They make satisfactory progress in Reception and enter Year 1 with attainment that is well above what is expected. However, their independent choice of activities is limited by the small outside area. Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress

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Grade: 3

throughout the school to reach well above average standards by the end of Year 6. Not all higher attaining pupils reach the levels they should. The school is aware of this issue and has introduced a system of frequent tracking of pupils' progress in Year 6. As a result, pupils in these classes have made good progress this year, though the progress they have made since they were in Year 2 is satisfactory overall. Teaching and the curriculum are satisfactory. The curriculum is well enriched by visits and extra-curricular activities which add to pupils' enjoyment. Information and communication technology (ICT) makes a good contribution. However, teachers do not always plan to give appropriate challenge to pupils of different abilities. This mostly affects some higher attaining pupils, who receive the same work as pupils of average ability, but, on some occasions, lower attaining pupils are given work which is too hard.

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Grade: 3

The pastoral care given to pupils is a strength of the school and enables them to feel safe and relaxed. Academic guidance is not as strong, though the school is rightly tackling this as a matter of priority. Data from assessment have not been analysed with sufficient rigour and frequency in previous years, so that it has not always been possible to detect underachievement swiftly. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The new headteacher gives a very good lead and his impact on pupils' achievement is already seen in improved progress in some areas, although it is not yet consistent. One parent summed up the comments of many: 'He is proving to be an inspiring head and has improved so many areas of the school.' Middle managers have been trained to assume greater responsibilities in September and this is already proving to be effective in some areas, for example in improved standards in mathematics by the end of Year

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Grade: 3

6. The school has a satisfactory capacity to make further improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Keep a more frequent check on pupils' progress, so that any underachievement can be easily spotted and quickly rectified. ■ Ensure that the work planned for pupils offers them more appropriate challenge, especially higher attainers. ■ Improve the outdoor provision for children in the Foundation Stage. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007 A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory. Standards are well above average throughout the school. They are not higher because some of the most able pupils do not reach their full potential. This varies from class to class and subject to subject, though the best progress is made in reading. Standards by Year 6 fell in 2006 to broadly average levels. This year group had experienced some underachievement since the age of seven, so that the measure of added value was significantly lower than the national average. However, though the 2007 national test results have not yet been published, data in the school show a big improvement on the results of 2006. These pupils' overall progress has been satisfactory. Improved systems of assessment are now enabling teachers to direct support to pupils who most need it. This has been most effective in Year 6, and the systems are set to be introduced school-wide in September. Pupils from minority ethnic groups achieve at the same rate as other pupils, as do the few with

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Grade: 3

English as an additional language. Pupils with learning difficulties also achieve satisfactorily.

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Grade: 2

Attendance is very good and most pupils are very well behaved. Pupils know why a healthy lifestyle is important. As one of the youngest children was keen to say, 'If you don't eat good food, you won't get stronger.' This demonstrates maturity of thought from a very young age. Pupils develop independence, though their initiative is sometimes not given enough rein when the teacher over-directs the lesson. Pupils know how to keep safe and express confidence in all adults to sort out problems or worries. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. A member of the school council commented, 'We learn to respect other religions and other life styles.' The school council is active and its views are valued, though there are no representatives from the infants. Pupils participate very well in sport and music and make a good contribution to the wider community, including charity fund-raising and activities linked to the church. Pupils' good skills in literacy,

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Grade: 2

numeracy and ICT stand them in good stead for the next stage of education.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. All adults have very good relationships with pupils and these form the foundation of the secure and happy ethos in the school. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to use ICT. In a good lesson on visual presentations, Year 6 pupils made perceptive comments on what makes for a good presentation when their teachers gave two separate shows, one good and one bad. Teachers do not always give appropriate challenge to the pupils in their class. The work in pupils' books from across the year shows that pupils of varying abilities are often given the same work. Higher attaining pupils do not always receive real challenge. On a few other 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007 occasions, lower attaining pupils struggle or produce small amounts of work. Teachers' marking of pupils' work is inconsistent and does not often provide pupils with suggestions as to how

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall with good enrichment. Specialist tuition in music for all pupils and opportunities for a good number to learn an instrument contribute well to pupils' cultural development. Good links with the North Downs Confederation provide a range of activities for small numbers of older, more able pupils and for a much larger number of pupils in sports. Pupils benefit greatly from a range of visits and visitors, which create a lasting impression on pupils. A start has been made on developing links between subjects to increase pupils' opportunities to use their varying skills more widely, though this work is at an early stage of development. The Foundation Stage curriculum is satisfactory but pupils' independence is restricted by a lack of free flow to the outside area. Accommodation for the whole school is limited; indeed, a small group of pupils was observed working with their teacher in a cloakroom. Plans for new buildings

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall. The school places considerable emphasis on caring for pupils. Any who may be vulnerable are carefully identified and good personal support is provided for them in school and through good liaison with outside agencies. Teachers and support staff carefully follow required procedures to protect children and ensure their safety. The progress of pupils with learning difficulties has been improved during the past year because assessments have been made more rigorous. However, targets in pupils' individual education plans are not specific enough and some parents would appreciate more feedback. Work on assessment has recently been strengthened and target setting for individual pupils is developing. Assessment information has been used well in Year 6 to support any pupils in danger of underachieving. The frequency and rigour of this analysis are being extended to

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Grade: 3

other year groups, but it is too soon for this to have had a consistent impact on all pupils' progress.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher has provided very good leadership since his appointment. He quickly identified weaker areas through good consultation with parents, staff and governors. As one member of staff commented, 'He gets people on board, supports them and what he says he will do, he does.' Accurate information from the assessments of pupils' progress is now used to track how well pupils are achieving. As a result, the school now has reliable data to pinpoint where pupils are making sound progress and where improvements are needed. The role of middle manager had been underdeveloped until recently. New responsibilities have been given to coordinators for next term and they are undertaking more accountability for 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007 their areas. However, it is too early for them to have had a significant impact. For example, supporting and monitoring the quality of teaching have started but are still too limited to have

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Grade: 3

had a wide effect. During the periods without a headteacher, the acting headteacher placed appropriate emphasis on ensuring that the school continued to enjoy the confidence of parents. Governors support the school well through their work in committees and visits to their linked areas in the school, but they have only recently begun to offer challenge to the school's work. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

3 September 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Anne's Catholic Primary School,Banstead,SM7 2PH Some of you may remember the visit that three of us made to your school at the very end of last term. It was a very busy time for you all and gave us the chance to see the school at work and play. Thank you for making us so welcome and sharing your experiences with us. Your school gives you a satisfactory standard of education. That means that there are good things about the school and some which could be better. One of the best things about St Anne's is the good family feeling, where adults look after and care for you. One of your parents wrote to tell us, 'St Anne's is a lovely school and I feel very fortunate that my daughters are there.' You learn to grow in the Catholic faith, and you also learn to respect other religions, as we saw in the good assembly about Sikhism that Year 4 children presented. Most of you behave very

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

well and you told us all the subjects which you enjoy. You know how to stay safe and healthy and enjoy taking lots of exercise. Your school has grown in numbers over the last few years and is now in need of new buildings to hold you all comfortably. One of the things we have asked the school to do is to give more outside space for the Foundation Stage children. The new headteacher is doing a very good job, and many of your parents wrote to tell us how pleased they are. Your teachers make most of your lessons interesting and help you to enjoy your learning. We have asked them always to give you work which is at the right level of difficulty - not too easy or too hard. The adults keep a regular check on your progress, but we have asked them to carry it out more often, so that they can give any extra help to those who might need it. I hope you continue to enjoy you time at St Anne's and send you best wishes for the new school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

year. Yours sincerely Christopher Gray Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's Catholic Primary School, 17 °18 July 2007

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