St Ann’s CE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Ann's is a small school with a strong sense of family and belonging. Pupils here feel cared for and are kept safe.

They trust their teachers to look after and help them. Strong routines and consistent expectations mean behaviour in classrooms and around the school is positive.

Pupils are expected to work hard, manage their emotions and be mindful.

Faith is an important feature of this school. Pupils are given time to reflect on their beliefs in their own way. Calm spaces around the school grounds help to promote contemplation and tranquillity.

Pupils read regularly and often. All year groups visit and learn how to use the local library. Pupils enj...oy story time: when the lights are dimmed, pupils relax and teachers read to them.

Pupils learn a broad and interesting curriculum. They produce work of good quality in different subjects. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils benefit from a programme of additional activities designed to develop confidence, resilience and independence. Through visits to galleries, theatres and museums, and residential trips, pupils learn about the world beyond their locality. They develop their talents and interests through a range of clubs.

These include textiles, choir, puzzle club, multisports, crochet and dance.

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

The school has designed and implemented a broad and ambitious curriculum that matches what is expected nationally. In most subjects, the knowledge pupils need to learn has been clearly identified and well sequenced.

This helps pupils to secure the understanding they need to tackle more complex ideas later on. For example, in art, children in the Nursery practise transferring paint to paper using different objects, such as cardboard tubes and cotton buds. Older pupils use this knowledge when creating more complex patterns using an increasing colour palette when printing with sponges, lino blocks or onto fabric.

Similarly, in mathematics, children in early years count familiar objects, like pine cones and carrots, each day. They practise representing numbers in different ways. This helps them to secure the knowledge they need to tackle more complex mathematics when they start Year 1.

In most subjects, assessment is used effectively to check what pupils have learned. This enables any misconceptions to be identified and corrected. However, in some subjects, there is less clarity about what pupils should learn.

In these instances, important content is not consistently taught or checked. As a result, some pupils' understanding is less secure, meaning they are not as well prepared to tackle more complex ideas.

Staff are well trained to implement the school's phonics programme.

Teachers check pupils' reading. This ensures that anyone who falls behind is swiftly identified and well supported to catch up quickly. Pupils practise reading with books that are well matched to the sounds they know.

This helps them to become confident and fluent readers.

In most cases, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access the same curriculum as their peers. This is because teachers have made thoughtful adaptations to the tasks and activities pupils complete.

Pupils with more complex needs are well considered through a thoughtfully designed curriculum.

Behaviour around the school is calm and productive. In lessons, pupils behave well.

Learning proceeds without interruption. This is because pupils understand what is expected of them and value the system of rewards and sanctions that focuses on 'forgiveness and fresh starts'. Most pupils attend school regularly and on time.

Leaders have appropriate systems in place and work closely with families for whom this is a priority.

Pupils' personal development is well considered. There is a strong emphasis on pupils becoming responsible, respectful and active citizens who make good choices.

The curriculum is designed to help pupils learn about fundamental British values, protected characteristics, health and citizenship in an age-appropriate way. For example, pupils learn about the major world faiths.

School and trust leaders, including those responsible for governance, are highly ambitious.

They are very knowledgeable and have a strong understanding of the school's strengths and priorities for further improvement. Staff, parents and carers comment on the close-knit 'family feel' of this school. Parents and carers appreciate the opportunities they have to engage with the school and the advice they receive on supporting their children's learning at home.

Staff value the opportunities they have to develop professionally and feel that their well-being is carefully considered.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the specific knowledge pupils are expected to learn has not been clearly defined.

In these areas, important subject content is not as consistently taught, and pupils' understanding is less well checked. This means some pupils do not embed the knowledge they need. The school should ensure that the important subject content that they expect pupils to learn is clarified, taught and checked in each subject.

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