St Anne's RC Primary School

Inspection Report St Anne's RC Primary School

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131884 Unique Reference Number Manchester Local Authority 293875 Inspection number 13 °14 September 2006 Inspection dates Bernard Jones 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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Carruthers Street School address Primary Type of school Ancoats, Manchester Voluntary aided School category Lancashire M4 7EQ 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0161 2732417 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0161 2735359 Fax number 123 Number on roll (school) Fr Tim Hopkins Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Suzanne Walker Headteacher 25 November 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 293875 13 °14 September 2006 3°11 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a small school near the centre of Manchester set in an area of very challenging social circumstances. The large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds and there is small group from minority ethnic heritages of whom 19 are at an early stage of learning English. The proportions of pupils entitled to a free school meal or with identified learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well above average. There is funded nursery provision, currently taking 9 children.

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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 RC Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school and gives good value for money. Leaders are effective and know well the school's strengths and weaknesses. Self-evaluation is good, accurate and ensures that challenging targets are set as a good basis for raising standards further. As a result, the school has moved on well since the last inspection in 2002 and the school has good capacity to improve further. Most children enter the Nursery with levels of maturity and attainment that are well below average and some are very low. They achieve well in the Foundation Stage and standards on entry to Year 1 are below average. These children make good progress because planning, teaching and assessment are closely and effectively linked. By the time pupils leave Year 6 most reach expected standards for their age, having achieved well. This is because good teaching focuses well on the needs of individual pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

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Grade: 2

and those at an early stage of learning English also progress well. Pupils' results in National tests in Year 6, which were broadly average in 2005, continued to improve in 2006, maintaining an upward trend and reflecting good achievement. Current standards are broadly average and pupils are achieving well in relation to their ability. The clear direction given by the school's leaders and the effective steps taken to improve the curriculum have paid dividends. Teachers are confident and are given good guidance on how well they are doing because their work is monitored well and they share the best practice. They make excellent use of assessment to set targets that help to motivate pupils and to maintain their good progress. Teachers are particularly good at improving pupils' standards of literacy and numeracy. Science is taught well, but teaching of information and communication technology (ICT) is weaker

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Grade: 2

because it is not planned well enough. Staff and governors share a vision for the school to serve the community well and to include all pupils achieving as well as they can in order to raise standards. Parents are pleased with the school, as one stated, 'He really likes the teachers and he's coming on brilliantly.' The school makes a great impact upon pupils' all-round development. Care, guidance and support are strong with excellent arrangements for transferring to, within and from the school. The school provides a safe and happy environment where pupils flourish and learn to take responsibility well. This is seen in the very good behaviour in and out of the classrooms and the open and welcome approach taken to visitors to the school. Pupils behave well towards each other and relationships are good. As a result, pupils feel safe and they enjoy coming to school. Pupils make informed choices about healthy lifestyles and by Year 6 are mature and ready to move on. The level of

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Grade: 2

unauthorised absence is too high. The school has not yet found a way to persuade all parents of the value of good attendance and the adverse impact of prolonged or unnecessary absences.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Reduce unauthorised absence and raise attendance levels of the few poor attenders. • Improve teachers' planning so that pupils make better use of ICT in subjects across the curriculum. 2 Inspection Report: St Anne's RC Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Results in 2005 were broadly average, reflecting satisfactory achievement for those pupils. Results in 2006 were higher. Current standards are broadly average and these represent good achievement for this group of lower attaining pupils. There is no significant difference in the achievement of different groups of pupils. Where previously standards were too low in English they have improved because successful strategies were put into place to improve writing and language skills. In the Foundation Stage pupils' make good progress from a low base. While their attainment is below national expectations, levels are closer to those expected in personal, physical and creative areas.

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Grade: 2

Arrangements for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good and develop pupils' understanding of themselves, others and their place in the wider world. Pupils express themselves confidently and many take special responsibilities in their class and around the school, which gives them a good understanding of contributing to the community. Pupils' good personal development and their enthusiasm for school are stimulated by a rich curriculum. They behave well and have positive relationships with each other and with teachers. This helps to support the development of personal skills, as seen when Year 6 pupils help younger children with their reading and act as 'Buddies' in the playground. Pupils develop a strong sense of their own well-being. They know the best ways to stay healthy and take exercise. They feel safe in school and are taught well about outside dangers. Attendance

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Grade: 2

is below average. Pupils enjoy school, but too much unauthorised absence, particularly when parents take holidays during term time, interrupts the progress some make.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is outstanding in the Nursery and Reception unit. Excellent planning is closely informed by assessment and the detailed records of children's progress. This ensures that learning is active, fun and planned to make valuable links between areas of learning. In Years 1 to 6 the quality of teaching is good overall and has some outstanding features. Where teaching is satisfactory the leadership has identified this and put in measures to share best practise. This is having a positive impact and, in areas where progress has been slower, improvements are taking place, for example, in writing. In Years 1 to 6, teachers know their pupils well and use this to establish good relationships and foster good attitudes to learning. A strong feature of teaching is the way that teachers plan lively lessons so that pupils enjoy learning. The use of 3 Inspection Report: St Anne's RC Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 2

assessment is excellent and leads on to good use of targets and very good marking of pupils' work. This motivates pupils and they see what they must do to improve against National Curriculum levels. There is a weakness in that ICT is not being used sufficiently to extend learning in all subjects. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those at an early stage of learning English make good progress because work is planned to meet their particular needs and teaching assistants work effectively with them.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and meets statutory requirements. It is extended and enriched by visits and visitors and a good range of extra-curricular clubs and activities. The curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils' progress because it gives them the skills they need to continue successfully in the next stage of schooling. In particular, language and mathematical skills are emphasized in teachers' planning, but not at the expense of providing broad and balanced provision. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their ICT skills in subjects across the curriculum. The curriculum promotes social development, raises self-esteem and encourages respect for others. This supports pupils' good personal development and reinforces the strong Christian ethos of the school.

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Grade: 1

Outstanding care, guidance and support lie at the heart of all that the school does for its pupils. Pupils say that adults are always there to help them and that they are free from bullying and racism. Risk assessments, health and safety routines and child protection procedures are firmly in place. Assessment is used exceptionally well to monitor and promote pupils' progress and to underpin the guidance given on how to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. This has led to well-focused improvement planning so that weaknesses have been tackled effectively. Actions taken are monitored for their impact and they have proved to be successful in raising standards. For example, initiatives taken to improve writing skills have improved test results significantly. Pupils make good progress because there is a clear drive to raise standards from leaders at all levels. Self-evaluation is rigorous, involving middle as well as senior leaders and provides an accurate picture of the school's strengths and weaknesses. The strong Christian ethos is particularly successful in promoting pupils' personal development and ensures that they are well prepared for moving on. Parents are very happy with the quality of the school's provision. Governors fulfil their responsibilities well. 4 Inspection Report: St Anne's RC Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 5 Inspection Report: St Anne's RC Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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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? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 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

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

1 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. 6 Inspection Report: St Anne's RC Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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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? 7 Inspection Report: St Anne's RC Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for welcoming me to your school. I really enjoyed my visit and the opportunity to talk with you and see you working. I found St Anne's to be a good school, well led by your headteacher and a school where teaching is good and pupils enjoy their lessons and make good progress. These are the things I liked most about your school: • your very good behaviour and your hard work in class • the very good start given to the youngest children • the way that your work is assessed and marked so that you know how well you have done and what to do to improve further • the careful way the school teaches you to be safe and healthy and to concern yourselves about others • the many activities and clubs that you enjoy and which provide you with opportunities to develop your sport and make a contribution to your local community • how the school helps you to develop into responsible and mature pupils through, for

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

example, the work of the school council • your teachers take good care of you so that you feel safe and enjoy coming to school • the excellent arrangements made to help you move into different classes and on to the secondary school. To make things even better, I have asked your headteacher and teachers to: • teach you to use ICT more and make more use of computers in your lessons • encourage you and your parents to improve attendance so that you do not miss important work. 8 Inspection Report: St Anne's RC Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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