St Anne's Primary School

St Anne's Primary School Inspection report

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106213 Unique Reference Number Tameside Local Authority 309055 Inspection number 24 September 2007 Inspection date Stephen Wall 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 Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 199 School The governing body Appropriate authority Cllr Allison Gwynne Chair Ms G Dyer Headteacher 19 May 2003 Date of previous school inspection St Anne's Road School address Denton Manchester M34 3DY 0161 3362956 Telephone number 0161 3207949 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 24 September 2007 Inspection date 309055 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This average size primary school serves an urban area of broadly average social and economic characteristics. Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. However, the proportion with statements of special educational need is below average. The school does not have a Nursery facility so children join the Foundation Stage in Reception from a variety of pre-school settings. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: standards and achievement, personal development and well-being, and care, guidance and support. Evidence was gathered from the school's self-evaluation, national published assessment data and the school's own assessment records, policies and minutes, observation of the school at work, interviews with senior members of staff and pupils, and the parents'

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Description of the school

questionnaires. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest the school's own assessments, as given in the self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in the report.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: St Anne's Primary School, 24 September 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with outstanding features. The pupils' personal development and well-being are truly outstanding. So, too, is the quality of care, guidance and support the school provides. Parents value highly the education the school provides. 'My children love going to school. They are growing in self-confidence and I know that their care and safety is paramount,' was a typical parental comment. The school has successfully tackled the issues identified in the last inspection report. The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, is providing the school with a clear focus on improvement. As a result, standards have been rising steadily in recent years, particularly in Key Stage 2. Very positive and effective leadership is giving the school outstanding capacity to raise standards even further. Good teaching and a good curriculum enable pupils to make good progress and achieve well

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Grade: 2

as they move up through the school. Teaching assistants make a very significant contribution in helping pupils to achieve well. From broadly average starting points in Reception, standards by the end of Year 2 are above average in reading and mathematics. In writing, however, standards are broadly average and not yet high enough. Standards by the end of Year 6 have been rising steadily in recent years and are now consistently above average, although standards in writing are not yet as high as in reading, mathematics and science. This improvement has been brought about by improved focus on the teaching of science, the introduction of more effective assessment procedures and improvements to the way targets are set to support pupils in understanding what they need to do to improve their work. Visitors are given a warm welcome when they enter the school. The pupils are very well mannered and respectful to each other and adults. They are proud of their school and are keen for visitors

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Grade: 2

to know all about it. Their enjoyment is obvious in their smiling faces. 'I love it here. The teachers help us when we need it and most lessons are fun!' one pupil commented. Behaviour in class and around school is exemplary. Pupils understand how important their own safety is and that of others. As one pupil pointed out, 'We've only got a small playground so we have to take extra care when we run around so that we don't run into the little ones and hurt them.' Pupils' spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is excellent. They show impressive knowledge of other faiths and cultures. Assemblies are used very effectively to give them opportunities for reflection. When asked, pupils can explain why it is important to eat healthily and take physical exercise. Pupils enjoy taking on positions of responsibility such as becoming play mentors and buddies. They play a valued role in the local community by supporting charity

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Grade: 2

fundraising events, for example. Large numbers join in the outstanding range of enrichment activities. These add significantly to developing pupils' self-confidence and self-esteem preparing them well for the next stages in their education. Care and support are at the heart of all the school does. Child protection procedures and policies are in place. Health and safety are given meticulous attention. The Victorian building is beautifully kept giving the pupils a safe and welcoming environment in which to work and play. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are identified at an early stage and appropriate intervention is given to make sure they, too, make good progress and achieve well. The school makes excellent use of outside agencies to support vulnerable pupils. Assessment procedures are thorough and are starting to have a positive impact in supporting pupils' academic progress.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good overall. The excellent leadership of the headteacher and senior leadership team, and good management mean the staff have a good understanding of 4 of 9 Inspection Report: St Anne's Primary School, 24 September 2007 its overall effectiveness, even though the evaluations are too modest for the two aspects judged as outstanding in this report. The development planning clearly identifies those areas, which will have most impact on raising standards and achievement even further. Considerable disruptions to staffing in recent years caused by circumstances beyond the school's control have been very effectively managed to minimise any impact on standards and achievement. There is strong teamwork evident in the teachers' commitment for improvement to make sure that the school continues to go from strength to strength.

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Grade: 2

Children enter Reception with skills broadly in line with those expected of their age. A rich variety of activities and sensitive, purposeful teaching enable them to make good progress overall, so that standards by the end of Reception are generally above age- related expectations in most aspects. However, the lack of suitable outdoor provision for the Reception children acts as a barrier to their outdoor curriculum and physical development, where progress is no better than satisfactory. Good management and leadership make sure that children's progress is tracked accurately. Children with potential learning difficulties are identified early. Programmes to support these children are developed to match their specific needs.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in writing across the school but particularly in Key Stage 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide suitable outdoor provision for children in the Reception class. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: St Anne's Primary School, 24 September 2007 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: St Anne's Primary School, 24 September 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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: St Anne's Primary School, 24 September 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: St Anne's Primary School, 24 September 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of St Anne's Primary School, Denton, M34 3DY. Thank you for making me so welcome when I came to visit your school recently. I enjoyed meeting you and talking to you. What you told me helped me a great deal in reaching my judgements. You will be pleased to hear that I think you go to a good school. I was particularly impressed with how well you behave and how well you get along together. I think you are very well mannered and respect each other and the adults who work hard to make sure you enjoy your time at school. Your teachers go to great lengths to take good care of you and help you to make good progress in your learning. You are doing well in your reading and mathematics and science but your writing should be better so I am asking your teachers to concentrate on helping you improve your writing skills. Although your building is old, your headteacher and her staff make sure it is well cared for and provides you with a bright and attractive environment for

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you to work in. However, the children in Reception need better outdoor play facilities to encourage them to be more active and develop physically at a faster rate. You told me that you enjoy school and I saw that for myself in how well you take part in lessons and how enthusiastic you are about the wide range of additional activities the school offers you. I am confident that you will continue to work well with your teachers to make sure that school goes from strength to strength in future. 9 of 9 Inspection Report: St Anne's Primary School, 24 September 2007

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