Setting

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404040 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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10 February 2009 Mrs C Hancock Headteacher St Anne’s Fulshaw C of E Primary School Nursery Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5JQ

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Ofsted subject survey: good practice in promoting equality

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visit on 27 January 2009 to look at work in promoting equality.

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Ofsted subject survey: good practice in promoting equality

The visit provided valuable information that will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions, but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text without their consent.

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Ofsted subject survey: good practice in promoting equality

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included discussions with key members of staff, pupils, various types of support work and the observation of lessons and phonics sessions.

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Ofsted subject survey: good practice in promoting equality

The quality of provision to promote equalities is outstanding.

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Features of good practice observed

 Leadership and management are outstanding. The school has developed an extremely positive attitude towards the inclusion and education of those pupils who could be at risk of underachievement, especially those who have English as an additional language. This ethos is evident in all areas of the school community and, as a result, progress is good and sometimes outstanding for the vulnerable pupils in the school.

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Features of good practice observed

 The school’s culture and ethos to promote inclusion throughout the school are outstanding. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) are identified, either before entry to school, or very early on in their time at the school. The school’s tracking systems monitor the progress of individual pupils and groups of pupils. Due to this, any pupils at risk of underachievement are identified early and intervention is put in place very rapidly.  Pupils at risk of underachievement, often make outstanding progress in their learning. This is particularly true of those with first languages other than English. They make this progress due to the excellent knowledge that staff have of their needs and the way that work is tailored to meet the needs of individuals and groups of pupils. In addition to the teaching, the school’s ethos promotes a level of tolerance and acceptance of all in the school community so that pupils are

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Features of good practice observed

 The development of the curriculum is flexible enough to allow pupils to be taught at all times and in all subjects at a level suitable for their needs and abilities. If a pupil shows signs of potential underachievement, there is the capacity available for them to be taught in smaller groups, or different teaching groups, to ensure full access to the learning.

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Features of good practice observed

 The school has a full programme of training mapped out in the school improvement plan to ensure that the school continues to meet the needs of all of its pupils. There is though the flexibility for staff to undertake other training should a particular need arise. This approach ensures that individual members of staff’s skills are up-to-date and relevant so that the school is able to meet the needs of all.

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Features of good practice observed

 The school’s leadership employs and deploys staff skilfully so that in lessons, vulnerable pupils receive appropriate support to enable them to make at least good and often outstanding progress. The careful deployment of individual members of staff allows individual pupils to be targeted very effectively. For example, due to pupils’ needs being well identified by the school, staff are able to meet those needs. This has the effect of pupils being able to play an active part in the life of the school whilst increasing in confidence as their needs are met very effectively. This has led to improved behaviour in the school.

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Features of good practice observed

 The school accesses a wide range of local services, such as the visual impairment support team, speech and language therapy and occupational health therapy. The partnership work with these services ensures that they are able to support the school’s central aim of raising levels of inclusion throughout. These partnerships have had the impact of raising the achievements of all pupils in the school, in particular the vulnerable groups, by recognising their needs and providing appropriate support to the pupils to ensure that any obstacles to learning are overcome successfully.

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Features of good practice observed

 Pupils in the school feel valued and well looked after. This is a view confirmed by parents, who also agree that their children are valued for what they bring to the school. Parents feel that their children are empowered to reach their full potential in the school by the way the school’s ethos supports the development of their self-esteem and confidence.  Pupils are aware of their academic targets and they know what they need to do to improve their work. They are very well supported by staff who know them and their needs very well. This means that pupils are able to achieve at their full potential, especially those who have identified needs or who have learning difficulties and/or difficulties. This supports the school’s stated ethos of being focussed on the individual pupils and ensuring that they progress as well as they can in line with their needs and abilities.

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Features of good practice observed

 Inclusion is outstanding. All pupils engage fully in the life of the school. Pupils feel very comfortable and safe in the school and they appreciate the support that they receive.

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Features of good practice observed

 The personal development of the pupils throughout the school is outstanding. This is due to the exemplary care, guidance and support for all pupils, especially those from vulnerable groups. The school’s caring approach to pupils with emotional and social needs was evident throughout the visit and this reinforced the view that the school cares very well for vulnerable pupils. Due to their outstanding personal development, pupils are in a position to progress well with their learning.

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Features of good practice observed

 The governing body is undergoing a period of change so that it can support the headteacher even more effectively than it does at the moment.

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Areas for development

 To continue to develop ways of engaging parents in the education of their children.

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Areas for development

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to promote equalities in the school.

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Areas for development

A copy of this letter will be sent to your local authority and will be published on Ofsted’s website. It will also be available to the team for your next institutional inspection.

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Areas for development

Ofsted gathers information on the immediate and longer-term impact of survey inspections, both on the institutions themselves, and with a view to improving its own processes. To this end, I should be grateful if you would complete the attached questionnaire and return it within the next ten days. We have also just sent a copy of the questionnaire by email. Please return your completed questionnaire to either the email or postal address on the form, not to me. We may also contact some schools by telephone after several months in order for us to gain a picture of longer-term impact. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

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