Anglesey Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Anglesey Primary is a school at the heart of the community.

The highly dedicated, caring staff put pupils' needs at the centre of all they do. Pupils feel safe in school because of the care shown to them. The school works hard to ensure that relationships between staff, pupils, and parents and carers are strong and supportive.

The school's community is made up of many different cultures. These are celebrated widely, which leads to a harmonious school environment in which pupils show respect for each other.

The school recognised that the ambitions for all pupils to achieve to the best of their ability had to be raised.

The high ambitions are now being... realised. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The effective provision in place for pupils who speak English as an additional language supports them to achieve the high expectations the school aims for.

Pupils understand the school's rules and expectations and the importance of behaving well. They enjoy being rewarded with a 'thumbs up' and know the types of behaviours that lead to a 'thumbs down'. There is positive behaviour across the school as a result.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Anglesey has been through a turbulent time over recent years. This has led to many changes in how the school is run. The appointment of an executive headteacher to lead the school through difficult times, followed by a new permanent headteacher, has undoubtedly led to this school making the improvements it has.

Historically, pupils' outcomes at the end of key stage 2 in reading and writing have been weak. The school's uncompromising focus on ensuring that a curriculum is in place to support pupils to be ready for their next stage of learning is having a positive impact on their current progress. The new curriculum planning and effective teaching of this curriculum in most areas is now helping pupils to make stronger progress.

However, there remain some inconsistencies in how well teachers check pupils' understanding. Some pupils continue to have gaps in learning. On some occasions, the school does not address these quickly enough or carefully enough, so pupils continue to repeat mistakes.

A new phonics programme has been recently introduced. Its skilful introduction has led to high-quality phonics teaching. Pupils are able to use strategies taught to read new and unfamiliar words with increasing confidence and fluency.

Books closely match pupils' phonics knowledge to support this further. Staff ensure that pupils get the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of books that help celebrate and reflect the school's cultural diversity. These are supported by visits from celebrated authors who inspire pupils to read and write widely.

The school identifies pupils with SEND swiftly. These pupils are supported particularly well in the Willow Hub and in the resource base. Many other pupils are supported to work alongside their peers effectively in the classroom through carefully devised adaptations and support.

In most cases, these pupils achieve well.

Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. They engage well with learning and try to work hard.

The school recognises that there are still too many pupils who do not attend school regularly enough. They are working hard to support pupils and parents in recognising the importance of attending every day. However, systems to monitor pupil absence are not yet effective enough.

They do not enable the school to fully understand whether the strategies to improve the attendance of some groups of pupils are effective.

There are a range of ways for pupils to develop leadership responsibilities. Pupils' views and suggestions are listened to and acted upon.

Links with different establishments in the community help pupils to see opportunities available to them. These raise aspirations and ambitions for the whole school community. Opportunities for pupils to learn about different faiths and cultures are enhanced by visits to different places of worship.

Pupils have a good understanding of fundamental British values. This supports them to be active and responsible citizens of the future in modern Britain.

Staff are highly committed to Anglesey Primary.

They are determined that the improvements that have already taken place are sustained. They wholeheartedly want to provide the best educational experience for all pupils. The school is now led with a renewed determination and vision for its future.

All staff are working together, as a truly cohesive team, to achieve the outcomes they know each pupil deserves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school does not currently use information available to monitor the attendance of some groups of pupils.

This means the school does not always identify the impact of the work they undertake to improve attendance. The school should ensure that all those with responsibility for monitoring attendance do this effectively to bring about sustained improvements. ? There are inconsistencies in how well teachers routinely check pupils' understanding and gaps in learning.

Misconceptions are not always identified and addressed. This leads to pupils repeating the same mistakes over time. The school should ensure that the assessment procedures in place are consistently used to identify and address any misconceptions and gaps in pupils' learning.