Our Lady and St Anne's RC Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • securing consistently good teaching and learning across key stages 1 and 2, particularly in reading and writing
  • sharpening whole-school and subject-specific improvement plans so that timelines, actions and success criteria are crystal clear and focused on pupils’ outcomes
  • embedding assessment systems that capture accurate information about pupils’ progress and inform teachers’ and leaders’ planning effectively
  • ensuring that the progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is captured with better precision
  • equipping all subject leaders with the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to drive improvement in their areas of responsibility.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning in key stages 1 and 2 so that all pupils make good or better progress by:
  • raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do and achieve, particularly with regards to the most able pupils
  • using assessment information to effectively to match learning tasks and activities accurately to pupils’ needs and interests, especially in reading and writing
  • making sure that all teaching and learning time is used effectively and additional adults are well deployed
  • reading with all pupils in key stage 1 more frequently.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders have not secured consistency in the quality of teaching and learning in key stages 1 and 2. While several areas of strength exist, particularly in early years and upper key stage 2, variability is evident across year groups, especially in the teaching of reading and writing.
• Leaders’ improvement plans, including those of subject leaders, are not suitably focused on the right priorities. There is insufficient emphasis on pupils’ progress and outcomes for groups of pupils. Intended actions are not expressly linked to teaching and learning. Timelines are too broad and success criteria are not always well defined. Consequently, leaders’ aims are too vague and improvement lacks pace.
• Not all subject leaders monitor or evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility. Leaders’ actions do not dependably lead to improvements. While subject leaders are enthusiastic and often busy, the extent to which their actions are improving pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching is unclear.
• Senior leaders have recently refined assessment systems. Pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics are captured at the end of each term. However, not all leaders and staff use this information effectively. Teachers do not consistently plan tasks that match pupils’ learning needs. Across subjects, not all leaders address variability in the quality of teaching and learning in a timely manner. The extent to which current pupils are making good or better progress is too vague.
• Leaders cannot confidently explain how well pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are doing across the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics or the wider curriculum. Assessment information does not capture the extent of this group’s progress or achievement effectively. Leaders ensure that special educational needs funding is used appropriately to provide additional support and resources for individuals. Weaknesses in assessment, however, mean that it is difficult to tell whether this helps pupils to make more rapid progress in their learning.
• Leaders are determined in their efforts to offer pupils an enriching curriculum. Many exciting trips, interesting visitors and after-school clubs colour and enhance pupils’ daily experiences. Leaders seek and establish links with local and wider communities to broaden pupils’ horizons. This array of well-thought-out events means that pupils learn to celebrate and value their own and others’ local heritage and culture.
• The headteacher has created a friendly, warm and distinctively joyful atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils feel confident that adults respect and listen to them. Parents feel welcome and staff are proud to work here. Tolerance and respect are endemic. Such positive vibes contribute effectively to pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development. Leaders’ actions enable pupils to become well versed in British values and well equipped to play a constructive, active role in society.
• Leaders use additional funding for disadvantaged pupils carefully. They have directed resources and secured support with pupils’ needs and interests firmly at the heart of their decision making. For example, pupils sourced and took part in selecting many exciting new books recently. The profile of reading for pleasure was raised successfully for this group of pupils. Disadvantaged pupils often do as well as or better than other pupils in school in terms of their progress and attainment.
• Senior leaders use the primary physical education and sport premium funding wisely. Leaders place a clear emphasis on improving pupils’ understanding of the importance of physical health and well-being. They also ensure that pupils have access to a wide range of sporting activities and endeavours. Pupils therefore understand and build confidence in the skills of sportsmanship, perseverance and competition.

Governance of the school

• Governors are committed to the part they play in securing school improvement. They understand their roles and responsibilities and are ambitious for all pupils. This is evident in the minutes of meetings, and their detailed notes of visits following regular observations of teaching and learning around the school and meetings with staff and pupils. Governors use their first-hand experiences of what it feels like to be a pupil here to shape their work with leaders.
• An experienced chair and vice-chair support and challenge governors in their work. The collective skills that governors bring to the role are audited annually. Regular training is undertaken which supports governors to acquire the correct knowledge, skills and behaviour needed to manage their duties. Such measures ensure that the governing body is appropriately equipped to execute its duties.
• Governors can clearly evidence their support, commitment and involvement with the school. They strive to keep pupils at the forefront of their thinking. Despite this, and some challenging questions they ask of leaders in meetings, they currently have too generous a view of the school’s effectiveness. Governors have not yet challenged and supported leaders successfully to secure a precise vision for improvement or consistency in the quality of teaching and learning.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders and governors have appropriately stringent arrangements in place to make sure that adults are suitable to work with children. Fittingly detailed recruitment and appointments procedures help to protect pupils from harm and risk.
• Adults are vigilant and trained to protect pupils from harm. They understand how and to whom they must report any concerns. Leaders make sure that records of concern are detailed and actions to address these are timely. Work with parents and external agencies is thorough.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching and learning is improving but remains too variable across key stages 1 and 2. Pupils’ progress in reading and writing, particularly, is inconsistent.
• Not all adults make maximum use of available teaching and learning time. Too often, pupils or additional adults have to wait for direction, especially during transitions from one subject or space to another. Delays and interruptions mean that vital time is lost.
• At times, pupils are not fully engaged in their learning because adults have not made sure that resources are ready and matched correctly to pupils’ needs and interests. Pupils therefore drift, lose focus or line up beside teachers for praise, instructions or additional work. Learning lapses.
• Some pupils in key stage 1 do not read regularly enough with adults in school. There is a lack of consistency in the opportunities experienced by pupils. This inhibits pupils’ progress and prevents them from being fully prepared for the challenges of reading and writing in the key stage 2 curriculum.
• Some teachers have high expectations of all pupils regardless of their starting points. This is not, however, a consistent feature of practice. Some teachers do not stretch the most able pupils suitably in their thinking or present them with sufficient challenge in their work.
• Some adults are adept at explaining new concepts concisely and clearly for pupils. These adults use questioning effectively to assess pupils’ understanding and to prompt pupils to think deeply about their learning. At times, however, adults’ explanations are too lengthy or complicated and questioning fails to get to the heart of what pupils know and understand.
• Teaching and learning in mathematics have improved recently. This is due to strengths in subject leadership in this area of the curriculum. Tailored staff training, as well as effective support and challenge, have improved teachers’ subject knowledge, skills and understanding. Staff therefore feel more confident in their work. Consequently, pupils are making better progress, particularly in their application of mathematical reasoning to solving problems.
• The teaching of phonics has improved over time. Staff now articulate letter sounds carefully, enunciating each sound precisely and showing pupils how to do so too. Workshops have enabled parents to understand and replicate the way in which this early reading skill is taught at home. Consequently, most pupils are able to use their phonic skills and knowledge well.
• Staff have done a great deal to raise the profile of reading. There is a wealth of reading material available and pupils are wholly involved in procuring books to add to the library. Pupils in key stage 1 would like more access to the library and leaders are working to realise this ambition. Older pupils are able to read and respond to books online, a task that they thoroughly enjoy. As a result, more pupils have developed a greater interest in reading and books. This focus on reading has not yet resulted in all pupils making consistently good progress in reading.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils say that they feel safe because staff look after them and ‘explain things’. Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe online and discuss the benefits as well as the risks of technology. Adults support pupils to develop safe, confident practices.
• Pupils learn about safe, positive relationships. They express tolerance and respect for others’ viewpoints and compassion for those living in trying circumstances. Pupils are particularly proud of their charitable efforts and understand different ways in which they can influence the lives of others in a positive manner.
• Pupils understand the different forms that bullying may take. They feel confident that bullying is not tolerated in their school. Pupils have frequent opportunities to talk with adults in school and are certain that adults will listen if they have any worries. Pupils’ emotional well-being is of importance to staff.
• Leaders have ensured that the curriculum includes sufficient opportunities for pupils to learn about healthy lifestyles. Regular sporting endeavours and physical education develop pupils’ understanding of the importance of physical activity. Staff explore with pupils the links between physical fitness and good health. As a result, pupils express an interest in sport, health and being active.
• Pupils’ understanding of what it means to be a successful learner is inhibited somewhat by the variable quality of teaching across key stages 1 and 2.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils value their education, as testified by their good attendance. They thoroughly enjoy coming to school each day and tell inspectors that they have fun and friends galore. Playtimes are lively, laugh-out-loud affairs; a positive atmosphere is palpable.
• Pupils conduct themselves sensibly in and around school. They listen carefully and respond promptly to requests from adults, demonstrating respect at all times.
• Behaviour at unstructured times such as lunchtime is good. Pupils enjoy developing their social skills and building friendships with older pupils, and displaying caring attitudes towards their younger peers. Staff manage occasional overly exuberant play promptly and sensitively.
• Pupils’ attitudes to learning and school are positive. Even where tasks and work are not well matched to their learning needs, the large majority of pupils display forbearance, complying with school and classroom rules. Any disruption of learning is low level and due to variability in the quality of teaching.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes require improvement because current pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are making inconsistent progress, especially in reading and writing. This is due to the variable quality of teaching and learning across each key stage.
• The most able pupils do not make consistently good progress in their learning across subjects because work and tasks are not reliably challenging.
• The school’s assessment information and work in books indicate that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make variable progress from their individual starting points across subjects.
• Pupils’ outcomes vary over time in reading, writing and mathematics in both key stages 1 and 2. In 2016, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standards in each subject was below or well below the national averages in each key stage.
• More recently, pupils are making better progress in mathematics. In 2017, 87% of pupils in key stage 1 and 83% of pupils in key stage 2 reached the expected mathematics standard. These outcomes were better than the national averages. Current pupils are making stronger progress in mathematics than in reading and writing.
• Pupils at the end of key stage 1 also made better progress from their starting points in 2017 than seen previously in reading and writing. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and writing was broadly in line with others nationally.
• In 2017, in reading and mathematics, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils in key stage 1 reaching the expected standard was above the national averages.
• In 2017, the large majority of pupils at the end of key stage 2 made strong progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. Owing to strengths in the quality of teaching and learning in Year 6, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in each subject exceeded those seen nationally.
• The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check was broadly in line with the national average in both 2016 and 2017. Over time, disadvantaged pupils’ phonics outcomes are broadly in line with or better than those of others nationally.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership of early years is strong and is making a positive difference to children’s progress and development. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development is growing year on year and now sits broadly in line with other schools nationally. This represents good progress for children from starting points that are lower than those typical for their age.
• Parents are full of praise for the quality of provision in early years. Particularly, positive comments centred on the welcoming, embracing ethos. One parent’s view typified the responses of others, finding the environment ‘very inclusive of all children, including children from different faiths and backgrounds’.
• Children in Nursery settle quickly due to the calm, orderly environment and friendly staff that greet them. Routines and rules are established promptly, making children feel safe, cared for and secure. Children’s interactions with each responsive adult are gentle and enabling.
• Reception children benefit from this positive start in Nursery and staff lose no time in building upon the strong foundations laid. Children in Reception are happy and curious. They move comfortably between the attractive indoor and outdoor environments.
• The early years environment is appropriately rich in literacy and numeracy. Children’s efforts are highly valued and captured in good-quality displays. Positive examples and helpful cues therefore support children effectively as they absorb information and learn through their work, exploration and play.
• Staff are mindful of the learning needs, vulnerabilities and stages of development of each child. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained in protecting children from harm. All staff are fully committed to providing a high quality of care. Consequently, children thrive in the positive and protective ethos that is tangible across early years. Welfare needs are met effectively.
• Children behave well. They move safely and very sensibly in and around the school with minimal adult intervention. They exude happiness and interest in the opportunities afforded to them.
• Occasionally, additional adults do not manage transitions smoothly. Sometimes resources are poorly organised and transition times are disordered. On these occasions, valuable teaching and learning time is lost.
• At times, the most able children lack suitable challenge in their learning and play. This is especially evident when children are expected to engage with resources and areas of provision of their own choice. Adults do not consistently ensure that a sufficient element of challenge and stretch is incorporated into each area.

School details

Unique reference number 108510 Local authority Newcastle-upon-Tyne Inspection number 10037730 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 242 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Christine Baker Michael O’Brien 0191 232 5496 www.olsa.org.uk ourladyadmin@olsa.org.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 September 2012

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the pupil premium spending plan on its website.
• Our Lady and St Anne’s Roman Catholic Primary School is broadly average in size compared with other primary schools nationally.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above average. There are currently no pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium is above average.
• Nearly two thirds of pupils are from minority ethnic groups, including Asian or Asian British Pakistani, Black or Black British African, or Asian or Asian British Bangladeshi. Most pupils from minority ethnic groups speak English as an additional language and are proficient or are gaining proficiency in speaking English.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning on both days of the inspection. The headteacher and the lead inspector conducted several observations jointly.
• Meetings were held with pupils, and senior and subject leaders, including the headteacher, three governors (including the chair of the governing body) and a representative of the local authority.
• A range of documentation was examined, including the school’s self-evaluation, monitoring and assessment information about the quality of teaching and learning, school improvement plans, governance, attendance and behaviour records, policy documentation, and information about the curriculum and safeguarding.
• Inspectors listened to pupils reading, spoke with pupils formally and informally and examined pupils’ work. Responses from 18 pupils to Ofsted’s questionnaire were considered. The behaviour of pupils was observed in lessons and at breaktimes.
• Parents’ views were gathered from Ofsted’s online survey; 18 parents responded via Parent View and nine via free text. Inspectors also met face to face with a number of parents at the school gates.
• The responses of 11 staff members to Ofsted’s online questionnaire were taken into account.

Inspection team

Fiona Manuel, lead inspector Eve Morris

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector