St Anne’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. The strong leadership of the headteacher is based on a clear vision for school improvement that is shared by staff.

Achievement is good and standards are improving over time throughout the school. The proportions of pupils reaching at and beyond expectations for their age in reading, writing and mathematics by the time pupils leave the school are increasing. Pupils make good progress from their starting points, including the most able pupils, those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs.

Pupils swiftly learn phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) because the teaching of this subject is outstanding. As a r...esult, pupils rapidly develop their reading skills. They read widely and for pleasure.

Provision in the early years is good. Children thrive in a warm, welcoming environment and have a flying start to their education. Teaching is good.

Teachers are particularly skilled in questioning pupils to develop their thinking skills and promote their confidence as independent learners. Pupils think hard about the best approach to work things out and are keen to learn. Pupils behave exceptionally well, both in lessons and when they are playing together.

They are consistently polite and thoughtful. The school cares exceptionally well for pupils and this has a positive impact on their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Consequently, pupils care very well for each other and feel very safe.

The governing body accurately evaluates the school's effectiveness and knows what needs to be done to improve still further. Governors give leaders good support but also challenge them about the school's performance. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Leaders do not always make the best use of all the detailed information available to them about pupils' progress to compare the school's performance with other schools nationally.

There are not enough opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills and knowledge in other subjects across the curriculum. The teaching of handwriting is not consistent throughout the school so that work in books is not always presented to the highest standard.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those supported by pupil premium, is below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to provide support for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for those looked after by the local authority. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average.

About 10% of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds which is below the national average. The percentage of pupils who speak English as an additional language is less than 1% which is well below the national average. Pupils attend the Nursery on a part-time basis either mornings or afternoons.

Some children attend full time and pay for additional hours. The Reception class attends on a full-time basis. The school met the government's current floor standards in 2014, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club for pupils during term time as well as full-time care during the school holidays. The deputy headteacher left the school in April 2015 and a member of the leadership team is in an acting capacity until the new deputy headteacher joins the school in September 2015. Two staff members are temporarily leading on special educational needs until September 2015.