St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Anne's School and Sixth Form College is a caring and welcoming school, where all pupils feel valued. Excellent relationships exist between staff and pupils. The view of one pupil reflects that of many, stating: 'We're all one big community and family.

We celebrate that in our school.' Pupils feel safe and trust adults to listen to them. Staff use consistent routines and thoughtful approaches to support and communicate with individual pupils.

Pupils communicate effectively with staff if they have a worry or concern, which includes bullying. Pupils feel that this rarely happens, but if it does, then staff 'help fix it'.

Staff have high expectations of what p...upils can achieve and how they behave.

Pupils benefit from a broad and relevant curriculum from the early years to the sixth form. They enjoy following the carefully adapted curriculum, which meets their individual needs. They are well prepared for their next steps in education and for adulthood.

There is a calm and orderly environment throughout the school. Pupils behave well and enjoy exploring the grounds and playing in the well-resourced outdoor areas during break and lunchtimes.

Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as acting as school councillors, where they have a say in what they learn and do in school.

Pupils in the sixth form enjoy their roles as librarians and visiting their college and work placements.

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

Leaders have high aspirations for every pupil. They have developed different learning pathways to ensure that individual pupil's needs are met.

These pathways are underpinned by an ambition that enables all pupils to communicate what they know, including their wishes, feelings and concerns, effectively. Leaders achieve this through carefully planning how the curriculum supports individuals from the time they join school until they leave.

All pupils access a full curriculum, which supports them to succeed.

Leaders identify and plan what they want pupils to know. They consider the needs of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, in terms of their academic, social and emotional stage of development and in preparing them for adulthood. For example, in mathematics, pupils learn to count, including how to add and subtract when they are shopping for food and taking cookery lessons.

Students in the sixth form benefit from work experience opportunities and visits to a range of potential post-19 destinations, including further education and enterprise providers.

Leaders organise learning so that pupils access the curriculum from their individual starting points. Teachers consider individual outcomes and targets stated in their education, health and care (EHC) plans when planning lessons.

Teachers regularly repeat and revisit what has been taught, which helps pupils to remember. They closely monitor pupils' learning, regularly checking what they understand. Leaders are yet to develop a small number of subjects in the same way.

Activities ensure that individuals can participate and learn effectively. However, in the early years, children do not have enough opportunities for meaningful and purposeful learning in the activities provided. Leaders recognise the need to train staff to support children and facilitate learning in these areas.

Leaders are determined that all pupils experience the joy of books and reading for pleasure. Every opportunity is taken to promote reading. Leaders plan a series of events throughout the year, such as a poetry day, visiting authors and World Braille Day.

All pupils, including children in the early years, love to participate in sensory stories or read their individual books.

There is a well-considered reading programme in place, which enables pupils to read with confidence. Staff receive training in how to deliver this.

Teachers successfully select appropriate learning activities for pupils. Some pupils learn to read through the use of Braille. Teachers are highly skilled at checking the sounds that pupils know.

For example, non-verbal pupils point to letters that are read by adults.

Leaders have given careful thought to the wider personal development of pupils through the curriculum. Pupils understand the importance of healthy relationships, mental and physical health and how to stay safe.

They learn about fundamental British values through the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum and aspects of tolerance and respect through learning about friendship.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. They know pupils very well and are alert to changes in their mood and behaviour.

They have the relevant training, which enables them to support pupils if changes occur. This, alongside established systems and strategies in place to support pupils, results in good behaviour across the school.

The school has undergone a period of significant change since the last inspection.

The new leadership team, including newly appointed co-chairs of governors, has given much stability to the school. Leaders have been well supported by the local authority through this period of transition. Staff feel heard, and early career teachers feel well supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have effective arrangements in place to identify pupils who may be at risk and provide the support they need. They ensure that all staff receive relevant safeguarding training.

Staff have a comprehensive understanding of the signs that they need to look out for that could suggest a pupil needs help or protection. Staff record any concerns appropriately.

Staff are appropriately trained to use restrictive physical intervention (RPI).

Leaders identify pupils who may require this form of support. Leaders develop plans based on appropriate strategies, which are then used by staff as and when necessary. Debriefing sessions take place after an incident has occurred.

Inspectors found no evidence of the inappropriate use of RPI. However, not all staff use the school's reporting systems as well as leaders expect. This means that leaders do not have sufficient oversight of incidents that occur.

Leaders ensure that they complete all required checks before adults work in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum for children in the early years does not promote opportunities for them to develop their learning in the outside areas of provision as well as it should. This means that adults do not support children as well as they could do to develop their knowledge and skills in the different areas of learning.

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is planned effectively so that adults can support children in their learning and play in the outdoor provision. ? In a very small number of subjects, leaders are redesigning their curriculum. Leaders should continue to complete these developments to ensure that consistency of quality in all curriculum areas is maintained.

• There is variability in the extent to which some staff record the actions taken in line with the school's policy following incidents of RPI. Additionally, leaders do not have sufficient oversight of emerging patterns in the use of RPI. Leaders should ensure that all staff maintain records appropriately and should use this information to regularly review trends in the use of RPI so that appropriate action can be taken in a timely manner.