Ormskirk St Anne's Catholic Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning by ensuring that:
  • activities are matched to pupils’ skills and interests and provide sufficient challenge
  • teachers makes the best use of time to ensure that pupils get the most from their learning.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • developing the skills of middle leaders in monitoring progress to promote improvements to teaching and learning
  • ensuring that leaders challenge and support teachers to meet the needs of all pupils from their different starting points
  • ensuring that resources for reading are sufficient and appropriate, to effectively promote pupils’ love of reading and their progress
  • further developing the breadth of opportunities to broaden and enhance pupils’ skills and learning, including those to promote their musical, artistic and creative skills.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders and managers have experienced a time of instability and uncertainty since the previous inspection. The previous permanent headteacher left the school in February 2017 following a period of absence. In October 2016, a part-time associate headteacher was appointed, who was in post until September 2017 when she returned to her substantive school. A permanent headteacher has now been appointed, who will take up his post full time after October half term 2017. In the meantime, another associate headteacher has been appointed, who is sharing the headship role with the newly appointed headteacher on a part-time basis. These changing circumstances have hindered the pace of improvement.
• From October 2016, with the appointment of a part-time associate headteacher, the pace of improvement has quickened. The introduction of clearer systems to monitor and evaluate the teaching and pupils’ learning has led to some improvements but has not yet secured consistently good teaching or progress.
• Leaders, supported by the local authority, have closely monitored the quality of teaching. As a result, there have been improvements, particularly to the teaching of mathematics. However, the quality of teaching remains variable across the school and is weaker in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2. As a result, pupils make less progress in these year groups than other parts of the school.
• Subject and middle leadership are still developing. Some leaders, such as those of English and mathematics, have received support from the local authority and the associate headteacher to develop their roles in driving improvements in their subjects. This has led to improvements in, for example, mathematics attainment and pupils’ attainment in phonics. However, leaders acknowledge that some of the improvements are ‘a work in progress’ and have yet to fully affect the quality of teaching.
• Other subject leaders do not yet play an active part in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning and so are not effectively bringing about improvements.
• With support from the local authority, governors and the associate headteacher, the leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is improving. These processes are not yet fully established. Additional funding is used appropriately to provide support for the small number of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Resources to promote progress in reading skills and love of reading are limited, particularly for key stage 2 pupils, who lack a range of quality books to support their learning. This has a negative effect on their progress.
• Leaders have received a good level of support from the local authority. The work of mathematics consultants and training for teachers have improved the quality of mathematics teaching and pupils’ progress. Support for early years has helped in improving provision, leadership and outcomes. Governors praise the good level of support they have received from the local authority in bringing about improvements to their effectiveness as a governing body.
• Since September 2017, the school has had a new part-time associate headteacher, sharing the role with the newly appointed permanent headteacher until he is able to take up the full-time post after October half term. Both headteachers are passionate about ensuring that the school continues to improve. However, it is too early for their leadership to affect school improvement.
• Leaders have redesigned the curriculum to provide a sufficiently broad range of activities. The curriculum now provides appropriate emphasis on developing pupils’ skills through a range of subjects. After-school clubs involve a range of sports clubs. However, there are limited opportunities for pupils to further enrich and broaden their experiences and learning in areas such as music and art.
• Pupils develop an appropriate understanding of British values through activities such as elections to the school council, and ‘class charters’ help their understanding of the rule of law.
• Pupil premium funding is used appropriately to support the small number of pupils eligible for this funding. The employment of additional staff to support pupils’ learning and help to access school trips have improved progress for this group.
• Leaders make effective use of the primary sports funding to enhance outcomes for pupils. The use of a sports specialist to offer a broader range of sporting activities and further develop staff skills has resulted in an improvement in the proportion of pupils engaging in after-school sport and competitions.
• Most parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire and those who spoke with inspectors are supportive of the school. A minority expressed negative views about the changes to leadership and communication between the school and parents. However, inspection evidence found that leaders have improved communication since the previous inspection, for example through regular newsletters and information by text.

Governance of the school

• Governance has improved since the previous inspection and is now effective in supporting school improvement. Governors have worked determinedly to improve their knowledge and expertise as governors. They have undertaken training to develop their skills and now challenge leaders and hold them to account.
• Governors have passion and high expectations for the school. They have effectively overseen the appointment of the new permanent headteacher.
• Governors are active in their support of their school. Their expertise and knowledge are used effectively to help promote improvement, for example in providing support and guidance to the special educational needs coordinator.
• Governors have an in-depth knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are clear about the priorities to improve the school further.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have made safeguarding a priority. Following a safeguarding audit, procedures have become more robust. Leaders have ensured that effective procedures are in place which are understood by staff. These measures have contributed to a culture of safety in school.
• Staff are well trained and have clear procedures for reporting concerns about pupils’ welfare. This includes concerns about the dangers of radicalisation and extremism.
• The school’s liaison with parents and other agencies to meet pupils’ needs is timely and effective.
• Pupils say that they feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe when using the internet, for example social media.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, although improving, remains variable. Teaching does not consistently ensure that activities are closely related to pupils’ skill levels and needs. This means that activities at times lack challenge or do not sustain pupils’ interest. For example, pupils in lower key stage 2 were not very responsive to questions during a reading activity as the text did nor grip them and was difficult to read.
• On occasion, learning is not planned well enough to ensure that pupils make the best possible progress. For example, some key stage 1 pupils were not engaged in a group writing task, because the organisation of the activity meant that pupils were waiting for too long while others wrote and they lost interest in the activity.
• The teaching of reading is improving in key stage 1 due to improvements to the teaching of phonics. In key stage 2, however, the effectiveness of teaching is more limited as there are few books and other resources available to provide a rich variety of texts through which pupils can develop their skills and love of reading.
• Teachers’ knowledge of their subject in mathematics has improved because of recent training. The means that the teaching of mathematics is now more effective in both key stages, but particularly in upper key stage 2. For example, upper key stage 2 pupils listened carefully to teachers’ explanations and showed an increasing understanding of rounding numbers to decimal places.
• Some teachers provides effective questioning to deepen pupils’ understanding and extend their learning. For example, upper key stage 2 pupils were effectively engaged in a discussion about ‘Who stole the orange?’ Pupils discussed the evidence to decide and justify who they thought was guilty, guided by effective questioning which encouraged them to think and explain their reasoning.
• Teachers provide pupils with regular feedback on their work in line with the school policy, which helps pupils to understand what they need to do to improve their work.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders and staff prioritise the safety and well-being of pupils. Pupils say that they enjoy school and feel safe. Most parents who spoke to inspectors or responded to the Parent View survey agreed that their child enjoys school, and that the school keeps their children safe.
• Pupils have a good understanding of what bullying means. Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that bullying rarely happens in school, and if it does that it is dealt with well by staff. They are aware of how to keep safe online.
• Pupils take their responsibilities as members of the school council seriously. They talk with enthusiasm about their work to improve road safety around the school, and in helping to raise money for various charities.
• Pupils show a respect for staff and each other. They learn to share ideas together in class, and older pupils show respect for each other’s opinions in class discussion.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils conduct themselves well around school. They are polite and welcoming to visitors.
• Relationships between pupils and staff are positive. Pupils respond quickly to staff instructions and settle calmly and quickly.
• Pupils show positive attitudes to their learning. They listen well in class and apply themselves to their tasks. Their work in books is well presented, reflecting their pride in their learning. On occasion, where teaching is not fully meeting their needs, they can become distracted and lose interest.
• The breakfast and after-school club provides a positive, caring environment. Pupils behave sensibly and follow instructions promptly.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend regularly. Attendance is above the national average.
• There have been no exclusions since the previous inspection. Pupils understand the rules for behaviour and know who to go to if they have problems or concerns.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes require improvement because there are inconsistencies in rates of progress across the school. Progress is not consistently good, particularly in key stage 1. Evidence from observations of learning, school data and scrutiny of pupils’ books shows that current progress is good in Years 5 and 6 and in early years, but is not consistently good in other year groups.
• Provisional school information for 2017 indicates that achievement at the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics was in line with national figures. This is similar to the picture in 2016, except for progress in reading, which shows a decline from being significantly above the national average in 2016.
• In 2016, the standards pupils reached by the end of key stage 2 were above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. The provisional 2017 data indicates that the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard has, with the exception of in reading, risen slightly. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in writing and mathematics has also risen slightly.
• Children enter Reception class with skill levels that are generally above those typical for their age. By the end of Reception Year, an above-average proportion attain a good level of development. However, at the end of key stage 1, pupils’ attainment in 2016 was below national levels. Provisional data for 2017 indicates that although standards are rising, they remain below national levels. This indicates that the good start children get in Reception class is not sustained during key stage 1, and progress is not good.
• The most able pupils do not make consistently good progress. Although the most recent data indicates that there are some improvements to attainment at the higher levels, there is inconsistency in challenge for the most able in some year groups.
• The small number of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are generally well supported and make similar progress to their peers.
• Pupils make good progress in their understanding of phonics. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard has risen over the last three years, and most pupils attained this standard in 2017.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership of the early years is effective. Improvements to the learning environment and to planning and assessment of children’s progress have ensured that children make good progress during their time in Reception class and are well prepared for the transition to Year 1.
• Children settle well into school and show confidence in the routines. They show a good level of confidence and independence as they select their own activities.
• Children enthusiastically engage in their learning. For example, they happily take on the roles of characters, such as in the story of ‘Goldilocks and the three bears’. They show imagination as they act out their parts and express their ideas clearly.
• Children show interest and growing confidence in number, such as when inspectors saw them counting how many plastic bears they had fitted together.
• Staff use questioning well to encourage children to think and extend their learning. For example, children were encouraged to think about why they need to use a rolling pin to make play dough bears.
• Staff carefully track children’s progress and swiftly identify where they need support to catch up. For example, staff identified that boys’ achievement was not as high as girls’ and have adapted their teaching to ensure that this difference is diminishing.
• Children feel safe and secure in their environment. They listen very well to instructions and respond well to staff’s requests.
• Staff have developed positive partnerships with parents. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to share their observations of children learning. Parents are involved in helping to set up snack time and have been involved in developing the outdoor provision. They are well informed about their child’s progress. This positive partnership contributes well to children’s good progress.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119682 Lancashire 10036766 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 Maintained 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 407 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Associate Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Liz Rafferty Terence Naylor 01695 574697 www.st-annesrc.lancs.sch.uk head@st-annesrc.lancs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 26 May 2016

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is a larger than average primary school.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disability is below average. The proportion of pupils who have statements of special educational needs or education, health and care plans is below the national average.
• In 2016, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• A part-time associate headteacher took up post in October 2016, following the long-term absence and then resignation of the previous headteacher. In September 2017, the associate headteacher returned to her substantive school. A new part-time associate headteacher took up post in September 2017, alongside the newly appointed permanent headteacher, who will take up his full-time post after October half term 2017.
• The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for its pupils.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning throughout the school. Three observations were carried out jointly with the associate headteacher. In addition, inspectors scrutinised pupils’ workbooks and listened to pupils read.
• Meeting were held with pupils, the chair of the governing body and seven other governors, the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspectors also held a meeting with representatives from the local authority.
• Inspectors looked at a range of information produced by the school, including information on pupils’ progress and attainment, behaviour and attendance, procedures for safeguarding and the school’s own evaluation of its work. They considered reports to the governing body, minutes of its meetings and the school’s plans for further improvement.
• Inspectors considered the 133 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 120 parents who expressed their views via text message to Ofsted.

Inspection team

Elaine White, lead inspector Jeremy Barnes Claire Hollister

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector