Anson Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Anson Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this nurturing school where a strong sense of community thrives. The school's vision, 'Happy, Confident and Creative with a Lifelong Love of Learning', is embedded throughout the curriculum.

Pupils achieve well, feel happy and are kept safe, knowing that there are adults that they can talk to if they have any worries. They are confident that staff will listen and address any concerns.

The school is a calm and purposeful place to learn.

In both classrooms and playgrounds, pupils behave well. They live up to leaders' high expectations and follow the seve...n 'Golden Rules', earning privilege awards. Pupils needing extra help receive support and guidance.

Pupils have access to a variety of clubs and leadership opportunities designed to develop their character. For example, the school council has helped to design the new library, and the 'Anson Radio Team' broadcasts learning and music daily. The curriculum helps pupils to understand their learning behaviours, with themes like aspiration or resilience explored each term.

Carefully chosen books are used to illustrate each learning behaviour.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Leaders make considerable efforts to work with the community.

Staff build positive relationships by getting to know pupils and their families well.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that is well organised. It introduces knowledge to pupils in a logical manner.

For example, in mathematics, children in early years practise counting numbers and recognising patterns. Older pupils then use this knowledge to support their ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Similarly, in physical education, younger pupils learn how to throw and catch a ball, while older pupils use this skill in order to increase their accuracy and speed while playing a competitive sport.

Staff develop pupils' curiosity and love of learning. They spot any misconceptions that pupils might develop and act quickly to address these. This helps pupils to remember important subject content confidently.

For example, Year 5 pupils are able to confidently use technical vocabulary such as beat, rhythm and pitch to describe musical pieces. However, in a few subjects, the key skills that pupils need to know and remember are still being refined to ensure that children consolidate and deepen their knowledge. This means that, at present, some pupils are not able to remember what they have learned in the long term.

Reading is a priority for the school. Leaders have implemented an effective reading programme. This starts in early years and continues all the way through to Year 6.

Books that pupils read are chosen carefully, to match the sounds that they know. Teachers assess pupils regularly to ensure that they build their phonics knowledge effectively. Staff support any pupils that struggle, so that they can catch up quickly.

Pupils become fluent readers. They can choose from a wide range of books. Pupils spoke of their love of reading and value the school, class and playground libraries.

In early years, staff use songs and stories with children to excite and enhance their imagination.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported throughout the school. Classrooms are inclusive spaces and pupils are very respectful and understanding of each other's needs.

Pupils with SEND are fully included in lessons and receive the support that they need to succeed.

Leaders ensure that there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere around school. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils respond positively to staff. They behave well and respect each other. Pupils reflect on their behaviour and how they become successful learners.

Leaders are tenacious in investigating absences from school. They identify any patterns and follow up very carefully. As a result, attendance has improved this year.

Children in the early years, including the Nursery, settle quickly into the life of the school. Staff support children to develop their skills and routines, such as sharing and becoming increasingly independent in their learning and play.

The school places significant focus on pupils' wider development.

The goal is to foster a lifelong love of learning, providing cultural experiences that prepare pupils for their roles as future citizens. For example, during the 'Big Me Day,' pupils learn about different career opportunities such as working in the NHS. The school develops pupils' understanding of the importance of tolerance, equality, and fairness.

Pupils also enjoy the range of extra-curricular opportunities available to them.

Governors are knowledgeable about the school's strengths and areas for improvement. They provide appropriate support and challenge to the school.

Staff are exceptionally positive about the support that they receive to manage their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, curriculum thinking is still being refined to make sure that what pupils are taught builds successfully on prior learning.

As a result, pupils' understanding and recall of subject content is more secure and detailed in some subjects than it is in others. The school should continue their work to identify and sequence the most important knowledge in each subject so that pupils revisit and build on their knowledge and skills over time.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2019.

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