St Anne’s Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has created a warm and welcoming environment for pupils. Teachers get to know pupils well and they have high ambitions for their success.

From the very start of Year 7, the school instils clear expectations for pupils' academic development. Teachers support pupils to build successfully on their prior knowledge.

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), follow a broad and ambitious curriculum.

They benefit from the positive changes that the school has made to the quality of education that it provides. As a result of these improvements, pupils are achieving increasingly well across a range of subjects.
...r/>The vast majority of pupils behave well in lessons and around school.

They have strong relationships with staff. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy at school.

Pupils prosper from a range of wider opportunities.

For example, a growing number of pupils take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme or perform in the school show. Pupils from all backgrounds are encouraged to participate in a wide range of clubs, such as anime, debating, music and e-sports.

The curriculum is complemented by a range of trips, including visits to London and Italy.

The school's flag football champions told inspectors that they are looking forward to visiting Ohio to take part in an international tournament.

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

The school, with the support of the trust, has implemented a number of improvements to the curriculum in recent years. Alongside these changes, the school has strengthened staffing and provided appropriate training for teachers.

As a result, the school has considerably raised the level of ambition and the quality of the curriculum. The proportion of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects is increasing.

The 2023 published data indicates that pupils' progress and attainment at the end of Year 11 were below the national average.

This was because of a legacy of uneven curriculum delivery, coupled with lower rates of attendance following the COVID-19 pandemic. Current pupils have benefited from a much-strengthened quality of education. As a result, most pupils are now achieving well.

The school has set out the core knowledge that pupils should learn and when this content should be taught. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and they explain concepts well. Typically, teachers design activities that help pupils to build a rich body of subject knowledge.

In many lessons, teachers use assessment strategies well to check that pupils know and remember the knowledge that has been taught. However, from time to time, the school's assessment strategies do not provide teachers with the information that they need to accurately identify pupils' misconceptions or missed learning. On occasion, some pupils' learning is uneven.

The school identifies pupils' additional needs accurately. Staff are provided with the information that they need to make appropriate adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum. This helps staff to meet the needs of pupils with SEND well.

In the main, pupils with SEND learn well alongside their peers.

The school has built a reading culture across all age groups. For example, the more reluctant readers are encouraged to borrow books from the mobile library that visits during form time.

Pupil librarians make book recommendations to match the interests of the pupils who they visit.

As pupils join the school, their reading needs are accurately identified. Pupils who find reading more difficult have the support that they need to catch up quickly.

An increasing number of pupils read with fluency.

The school has raised its expectations of pupils' behaviour. Systems are consistently applied by staff and are clearly understood by pupils.

As a result, behaviour in lessons is calm and purposeful. The school's successful work with families has secured improvements in attendance for many pupils. However, for a small number of pupils, low rates of attendance continue to prevent them from accessing the full curriculum.

The school has designed a comprehensive programme to support pupils' personal development. Pupils become well informed about life in modern Britain. For example, they learn how to respect the differences of others.

A growing number of pupils participate in the broad range of extra-curricular activities that the school offers.

Trustees and members of the local governing body know the school and the local community well. They have a clear, ambitious vision for the school that is well understood by staff.

Opportunities for staff to work collaboratively have reduced staff workload and increased staff well-being. Staff are proud to work at this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• From time to time, the school's assessment strategies hinder teachers from addressing pupils' misconceptions or forgotten learning as quickly as they could. Occasionally, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that teachers are fully equipped to make effective use of assessment information to remedy pupils' gaps in knowledge.

• Some pupils struggle to improve their low rates of attendance. As a result, these pupils do not receive the full benefit of the ambitious curriculum that the school offers. The school should review the effectiveness of its strategies to support pupils and their families to improve attendance rates and reduce persistent absenteeism.