St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School

St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School Inspection report

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122794 Unique Reference Number Nottinghamshire Local Authority 327798 Inspection number 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates Kathleen Campbell 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 205 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 Charles Adams Chair Mr Alan Petrie Headteacher 22 May 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Harrington Street School address Worksop Nottinghamshire S80 1NQ

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4–11 Age group 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates 327798 Inspection number 01909473223 Telephone number 01909473223 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates 327798 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. 3 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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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 an average sized primary school that serves the town of Worksop. Pupils come from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds. The school has experienced a rapid upsurge in the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in recent years and some year groups have twice the national average, although overall the proportion is similar to the national average. Although levels vary from year to year, children currently entering the Early Years Foundation Stage have skills, knowledge and understanding close to those expected for this age. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds, with none speaking English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is low. The school has achieved the bronze level Quality Mark for primary geography and bronze and silver Eco awards in recognition of its work.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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Grade: 2

St Anne's is a good school. It successfully balances the aims of excellence and enjoyment for its pupils. The headteacher provides strong leadership and is ably supported by his very capable deputy headteacher. Together, they have created an effective climate for learning. They know their school very well and have an accurate view of its strengths and areas for development. The school has a distinct sense of community that promotes pupils' excellent personal development and well-being. All staff ensure pupils develop as confident, mature individuals. Parents have few concerns and most think highly of the school. A comment typical of many is, 'My child has grown stronger in character'. The school has made good progress since its previous inspection and has good capacity for further improvement. Although attainment on entry has fallen in recent years, children achieve well in the Early Years Foundation Stage because they are well taught. The recent rapid rise in

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Grade: 2

younger pupils who find learning difficult has presented a real challenge because the extra support needed has not always been available. Consequently, there have been pockets of underachievement amongst these pupils in the past that are still being rectified. However, it is important to recognise that the overall picture is one of good achievement from Reception to Year 6, with current standards being well above average by the time pupils leave. Pupils in Year 5 and 6 make impressively good progress because teaching is of the highest calibre. They are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. The curriculum has some very special qualities; it is creative and innovative and designed very effectively to develop pupils' thinking skills. There is a strong focus on learning in a cross-curricular way that makes topics exciting and challenging. As a result, pupils enjoy their work very much, taking great pride in all that the school provides. Good enrichment opportunities

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Grade: 2

and strong links with partner institutions, particularly for sporting activities, enable pupils to be healthy and active. Pupils are exceptionally well behaved and act as good ambassadors for the school. They are friendly and considerate and care very much about each other. The school continually strives to broaden pupils' horizons in order to ensure they are well-prepared for life in a culturally diverse society. The school has the respect of the community that it serves. Leadership and management are effective at all levels. Subject coordinators and governors carry out their responsibilities well and play an important part in raising standards and improving provision. Academic guidance is good. The school makes very effective use of its systems to track pupils' progress. Part of the reason older pupils are academically successful is because self-assessment is an integral part of lessons and pupils know exactly what they need to do to

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Grade: 2

improve and whether they are making enough progress. Provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good, sowing firm foundations for future learning. However, the cramped outdoor learning area does not provide enough opportunity for children to develop and extend their skills.

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Grade: 2

Children make a good start and enjoy their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage. By the time they move into Year 1 most have achieved the standards expected of children this age. Learning is fun and staff provide a friendly, welcoming environment into which children settle quickly. They feel happy and secure. Strong relationships with families encourage parents and 5 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 19–20 May 2009 carers to become involved in their children's learning right from the start. Teaching is good and children are very enthusiastic learners. Staff organise a well-balanced range of learning opportunities in the classroom and, to a much lesser extent, outdoors. The lack of a covered area restricts children's freedom of choice to work indoors or outside. Activities are exciting and frequently challenging and children want to succeed. The balance between independent

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Grade: 2

and adult-led tasks is just right. Occasionally, free choice activities do not provide enough challenge and some lack purpose. Those children who need extra support flourish because they often receive one-to-one attention. Adults are well deployed, which helps to ensure that all children make good progress in their learning and development. Valuable assessment information shows how well children are progressing. Assessment data informs future planning, matching activities to children's needs. Children gain a very secure early understanding of keeping fit, healthy and safe. Their welfare is of paramount importance to all staff. Children's personal and emotional development is outstanding. They behave very well and grow in confidence and self-esteem as they learn to work and play together. The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led and managed. All staff have a strong commitment towards providing the best for the children

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Build on existing good practice in order to raise standards in Key Stage 1 by improving provision to meet the needs of pupils who find learning difficult. ■ Develop the outdoor area in the Early Years Foundation Stage in order to ensure outdoor learning is an integral part of children's learning and development.

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Grade: 2

In national tests for pupils in Year 6, the school's results have been well above average in recent years. Currently, pupils make good progress overall, and very good progress in Years 5 and 6, because staff expect a lot of them. Pupils in Year 6 are on track to meet very challenging targets, confirming that the school has maintained the high standards and achievement found at the time of the previous inspection. However, the picture of achievement and standards is not quite as clear cut in Key Stage 1, where standards have declined and were below average in 2008. The school has responded positively to challenging circumstances by initiating focused intervention and, more recently, additional support for pupils who find learning difficult. However, some initiatives are too new to assess their impact on achievement and further work remains to be done to adapt and amend existing practice. Current standards observed during

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Grade: 2

the inspection in Year 2 are broadly average, showing encouraging signs that the school has started to reverse the decline.

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Grade: 1

Pupils have an unwavering enthusiasm for school and learning that underpins everything they do and achieve. Attendance rates, not surprisingly, are above average with pupils arriving punctually at school ready and eager to start the day. They typically behave very well because, 'it helps us learn', and are adamant that bullying is not an issue in their school. They relish opportunities to take on responsibilities, be it as members of the school council, eco-team, playground peacemakers, or the many jobs around the school. They talk with great pride about the contributions they make to the life of the school and the wider community, for example, 6 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 19–20 May 2009 through improving the playground facilities, making the school a 'greener' place and helping with local events. They have a good knowledge of what is needed to lead healthy lives and

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Grade: 1

keep safe. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. Pupils' respect for each other enables them to feel secure within a totally harmonious and trusting community. By the time they leave they are mature young people, who are socially and morally very aware. They are well set to face life's challenges.

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Grade: 2

All teachers manage classes confidently and lessons are based on secure subject knowledge. Teaching assistants generally make a strong, positive contribution, enabling pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to participate fully. Pupils are keen to learn and take great pride in their work. Where teaching is outstanding, planning is meticulous, pupils are challenged at a very high level and the development of thinking skills is excellent. A feature common to all teaching is the strong relationships between pupils and teachers. They get on well together. Occasionally, the pace of lessons slows and teachers' expectations are not high enough. Pupils relish the opportunity to participate in assessing their future needs and they display a mature thirst for knowledge. Assessment and marking are good. They are a key feature of outstanding teaching because they recognise achievement and skilfully move pupils to the next step.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum has many strengths. Several years of painstaking development have resulted in a curriculum that integrates learning into a seamless web of knowledge and skills cutting right across subject boundaries. Learning is planned as an active experience based on a wide variety of imaginative, meaningful and challenging tasks requiring pupils to take on significant levels of personal responsibility for their own progress and development. The teaching of thinking skills very effectively supports and promotes this expectation, admirably evidenced in pupils' learning logs and the buzz of interest found in most lessons. Visits, visitors, themed events, school clubs and school performances all add to the richness of the curriculum. Previous weaknesses in investigative mathematics and in the challenge for more able pupils have been successfully tackled. However, there is still work to be done to ensure information and

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Grade: 2

communication technology becomes a more integral part of pupils' learning in the classroom. The school recognises that provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, while satisfactory, requires further adjustment to provide more effectively for their needs.

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Grade: 2

Parents are justified in judging that their children are very well cared for at St Anne's because pastoral care is excellent. The school places pupils' welfare at the heart of its work. Pupils know that adults will listen to them if the need should arise. The school's arrangements to safeguard and protect children comply with statutory requirements. Induction arrangements for settling children happily into the school, as well as helping them to make the transition to their new schools at the end of Year 6, are effective. All children in the Reception class receive good personal support. Academic guidance is good overall. Progress is monitored very closely so that 7 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 19–20 May 2009 potential underachievement is quickly identified. Current initiatives to involve pupils more in target setting are developing well. However, the quality of individual education plans for pupils

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Grade: 2

with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are not always sufficiently focused to ensure these pupils make best progress.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The senior management team has promoted a clear, reflective vision for continuous improvement. Parents, teachers, governors and pupils respect and share the headteacher's focused approach towards achieving high standards of work and behaviour. Key issues in the previous inspection have been tackled effectively. The school knows itself well and identifies key areas for development accurately. It evaluates its work with pinpoint accuracy. Staff are fully involved in sharing the direction for the school. The school development plan is a clear, working document, focused totally on raising pupils' achievement and standards. Subject coordinators provide good leadership and have a clear grasp of strengths and weaknesses. Governors are well informed of the school's progress and areas for development. They know the school's needs and concerns. They play their part well in evaluating the school's

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Grade: 2

work and seeking improvement. Community cohesion is good with pupils making a significant contribution to the school and wider community. Links with, for example, a school in Ludlow and long established contact with friends in Kenya effectively develop pupils' breadth and depth of understanding. The school recognises, however, that greater knowledge of global and international issues is an area for development. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 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. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 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? 2 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? 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/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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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learners?

2 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 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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? 2 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 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 C of E (Aided) Primary School, Worksop, S80 1NQ Thank you for looking after Mr Williams and me so well when we visited your school. You really made us feel welcome. Special thanks go to the 'ambassadors' who showed us around the school and to the school and eco-council whom Mr Williams met. We enjoyed talking to you and watching you work and play together. This letter lets you know what is in our report. These are the things we liked most.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Pupils in Years 5 and 6 work hard and make very good progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You really enjoy school, behave very well and are very proud of your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ As you get older you become very responsible and mature.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You get on well with each other and all the adults that look after you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

These are the things we have asked Mr Petrie and your teachers to do to make your school better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that those of you who find learning difficult are given enough help so that your work gets better. ■ Make a better outdoor area for the children in the Reception class as it will help them to learn even more. You can help by behaving as well as you do now and by always trying to do your best. Yours faithfully Kath Campbell Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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