St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School

St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington Inspection report

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119656 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 327101 Inspection number 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates Shirley Herring Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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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 306 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Bernard Holden MBE Chair Mrs Elaine Richards Headteacher 1 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Sandy Lane School address Accrington Lancashire BB5 2AN 01254 233019 Telephone number 01254 301688 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates 327101 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This larger than average Roman Catholic primary school is in an area of comparative social and economic disadvantage. It serves two local parishes and also welcomes pupils from other faiths. It is oversubscribed. The vast majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average though increasing. There is a small number of Travellers. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. The proportion of pupils whose home language is not English is below average. The Early Years Foundation Stage provision comprises Reception classes. There is an out of school club on site which is run by a private provider and did not form part of this inspection.

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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 and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It provides an outstanding level of care, guidance and support for its pupils. Parents commented that the school is welcoming to children and parents alike, and that children really do matter. The personal development and well-being of pupils is good and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. The great majority of pupils say how much they enjoy coming to school because teachers make lessons challenging and fun. Nevertheless, despite the school’s best efforts, attendance is below average and a small number of pupils find it difficult to get to school on time. This slows their progress. Pupils have a good understanding of the need to eat healthily and they themselves requested that a salad bar be provided at lunchtime. They feel safe because of the good relationships in school. They make a good contribution to the local community. They develop confidence and their aspirations are

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Grade: 2

heightened by visits to the local college and university. Pupils enter the school with skills that are below what is expected for their age. They make good progress during their time in school and standards are broadly average by the time they leave. In the 2008 national assessments for Year 2, standards were broadly average though girls achieved better results than boys. In the 2008 statutory tests in Year 6, standards were broadly average and pupils achieved well, relative to their starting points. Again, the girls made better progress than the boys. The school has taken extensive action to improve the rate of progress made by boys, particularly in English. The work of pupils currently in school indicates that a more practical approach to learning and a wider range of resources have helped to raise the attainment of all pupils, but particularly boys, and they are now progressing at a similar rate to the girls. Pupils with learning difficulties and those pupils whose home language is not

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Grade: 2

English make good progress, relative to their starting points because of the very good support they receive. Teaching is good and so pupils learn well. There is a strong culture in school of teachers observing and learning from each other and so teaching is consistent throughout the school. The curriculum is good. There is good attention to basic skills in all areas of the curriculum. The good provision for personal, social and health education makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development. Care, guidance and support are excellent. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those whose home language is not English receive exceptional support to enable them to make similar progress to others. The school has very good links with other professionals to support pupils and their families where needed. There are very good systems in place to track pupils’ progress and to give guidance on how they can improve. This is now having an impact

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Grade: 2

on standards, particularly writing. The school is led and managed well. Based firmly on the school’s Catholic tradition the headteacher leads a team who have a clear commitment to promoting the well-being and inclusion of all its pupils. The school evaluates its work accurately and uses the information to bring about improvements and raise standards. Governance is good. Good improvements in care, the rate of progress for boys’ and in the learning environment indicate that the school has a good capacity to improve further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009

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Grade: 2

Children enter the school with a range of skills that are below what could be expected for their age. They make good progress during the Reception Year and the vast majority reach and some exceed the recommended goals in all areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. Children respond well to the high expectations of behaviour and respect for others and so personal development is good. Children develop a good understanding of a healthy lifestyle as they eat healthy snacks and benefit from vigorous exercise. Good relationships with adults and older pupils help them to feel safe. They enjoy the many interesting activities in school and are well prepared for Year 1. The school is making every effort to improve children’s attendance and punctuality. Teaching is consistently good and so children make good progress. Teachers plan an interesting range of purposeful, practical activities, indoors and outside, that show a good understanding

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Grade: 2

of how young children learn. They make good use of high quality resources to develop children’s understanding. Procedures for assessing children’s learning are good and they are used well to plan work to suit the needs of individuals. Welfare provision is outstanding. There are very good procedures for introducing children to school and they develop good attitudes to learning from an early age. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are identified at an early stage, often before they start school. They receive an excellent level of care and support, are fully included in all activities, so they make good progress. Leadership and management are good. Staff work very well together as a team. They learn from each other to extend their expertise and provide good role models for the children.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Explore further ways to improve punctuality and attendance so that all pupils can make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enter the school with a range of skills that are below what is typical for their age. Most pupils make good progress during their time in school to reach standards that are broadly average by the time they leave. Standards are just above average in mathematics. Although standards are below in science, they are starting to rise because of effective work to strengthen pupils’ investigative skills. In the 2008 national assessments at the end of Key Stage 1, standards were broadly average overall, but were above average in mathematics. Girls achieved better results than boys. In the 2008 national tests in Key Stage 2, standards were broadly average and pupils achieved well, though again, the girls did better than boys. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, those whose home language is not English and Traveller pupils make good progress because of the very good level of support they receive. The progress of some pupils is adversely

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Grade: 2

affected by poor attendance. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009 Examination of the work of current pupils shows that the school’s extensive efforts to raise the attainment of boys is raising standards and they are now making similar progress to girls. Pupils are in line to reach or exceed their challenging targets.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. The great majority of pupils show very positive attitudes to learning and say they really enjoy coming to school. This is because they feel their teachers make lessons fun and that they really like helping each other. Most pupils attend well but the persistent absence of a very small minority results in attendance being below average. A few pupils also find it difficult to arrive at school on time. Most learners develop sound basic skills to support their future economic well-being and a have a good insight into the world of work through visits to the local college and the fundraising projects that they undertake. They are eager to talk about the many opportunities for responsibility, such as becoming a ‘Guardian Angel’ to younger pupils. There are very good relationships throughout school and pupils feel strongly that they are listened to and encouraged to express their views. They say they feel safe and that everyone

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Grade: 2

looks after each other. One young learner likened school to ‘being part of a really big family!’ Through links with communities in Africa, as well as the local community pupils develop a strong understanding of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues. They also have a good appreciation of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and take part in a wide range of sporting activities.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are effective because there is consistent good practice across the school. Pupils are clear about what they are learning and what they need do to be successful. Relationships are good and staff motivate pupils well. This makes pupils keen to participate in the interesting activities provided. For example, in an outstanding mathematics lesson, pupils learnt about data handling in a very active way. Work is well matched to pupils’ previous learning and different tasks are devised to support children who need it. More able pupils are identified at an early stage and there is a good level of challenge in most lessons. Teachers use a variety of strategies for marking and letting pupils know how they can improve. Pupils understand what they need to do to make further progress in writing. The school has plans to extend this good practice to other subjects, particularly mathematics.

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Grade: 2

Basic skills are developed well across different areas of the curriculum and this is beginning to have an impact on standards. For example, one class produced a cookery book of family recipes and published these using their writing and information and technology communication (ICT) skills. The book reflects the range of countries that families come from and has contributed well to cultural awareness. Creativity is encouraged and many pupils have the opportunity to learn an instrument. There is now a good focus on experimenting and investigating in science so that standards are beginning to rise. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009 Year 6 pupils take part in a residential visit where they engage in outdoor pursuits. Good use is made of visits to local historic buildings and other resources to enhance learning across the curriculum. The wide range of additional activities promotes pupils’ personal development well.

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Grade: 2

Pupils who are identified as being able, gifted or talented have additional opportunities to engage in problem-solving activities on ‘Saturday Super Mornings’. These are well supported by parents.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care, guidance and support is outstanding. All procedures for safeguarding pupils are in place. Pupils have the opportunity to train as young Lifesavers and use their skills in school. Risk assessments are thorough and shared with children when relevant, for example, before the recent helicopter visit to the school. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is outstanding and contributes enormously to their good progress. The school has established excellent links with a wide range of external agencies and is persistent in seeking specialist support where needed, for families as well as pupils. Care plans for pupils with medical conditions are detailed and adhered to meticulously and with great sensitivity so all pupils feel secure and fully included. The school has very good systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and provides additional support at an early stage. Pupils are well aware of the school’s

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Grade: 1

rules and expectations and this guides their excellent behaviour. Teachers give pupils good guidance on how to improve their work and this is now having an impact on standards, particularly writing. The school works closely with parents to emphasise the importance of securing the regular attendance of their children. Most respond well but a few are harder to convince and this depresses overall attendance figures.

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Grade: 2

Emanating from the drive and commitment of the headteacher there is a strong sense of adults working together for the benefit of the pupils. This is a very inclusive school where all pupils, from increasingly varied backgrounds, are welcomed and valued. Guided by its Catholic tradition the school provides an excellent level of care for all its pupils so they make good progress. Community cohesion is good. The school welcomes pupils and staff from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds and so all benefit from sharing their varied festivals and cultures. Pupils are developing a global perspective through links with a school in Nepal and visits from Tanzanian children. The senior management team monitors and evaluates the work of the school carefully to bring about improvements, for example, introducing a wide range of strategies to improve boys’ writing. This has been successful not only in raising boys’ achievement but has also raised

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Grade: 2

standards in writing across the school. The school continues to seek ways to improve attendance. The skilled support staff are deployed well to help pupils to achieve. Governance is good. Governors are fully involved in the life of the school and have a good understanding of its strengths and needs. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009 .

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Grade: 2

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 and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009

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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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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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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 and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009

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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 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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 and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

21 May 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Anne’s and St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 2AN Thank you for making us so welcome when we inspected your school. We enjoyed talking to you all and we can understand why you enjoy school so much. We have never seen a helicopter at a school before. We agree with you and your parents that St Anne’s and St Joseph’s is a good school. In fact some things about it are outstanding. The school takes excellent care of you all and so you feel very happy in school. You told us that it was like a big family. You play your part by working hard; helping each other and your behaviour is excellent. Well done! Teachers make lessons interesting so you learn well and there is always someone on hand to give you extra help when you need it. You are working at the level expected for your age by the time you leave school. I was pleased to hear that some of you have been to visit a college

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and a university; it is something for you to think about for the future. When we inspect a school it is part of our job to suggest ways in which even a good school could be better. We have asked the school to think of even more ways that they could encourage those of you who have a lot of days off school to try to come to school every day and on time. Thank you once again. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in school. You made us most welcome. Yours faithfully Shirley Herring Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Accrington, 19–20 May 2009

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