St Anselm’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Anselm's Catholic Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a joyful and welcoming school, where pupils are kind and supportive. They work collaboratively with each other to realise the school's vision, 'success for all'.

The school is at the heart of its community.

Staff know the pupils and their families well. Pupils enjoy attending school and there is a strong sense of belonging.

The school has high expectations for the achievement of all pupils, whatever their starting points.

From the early years, children develop solid foundations for l...earning. They make a strong start. This helps pupils to meet the school's high standards for achievement.

Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and respectful. Pupils know how to stay safe and look after their health and well-being.

Pupils enjoy the extra-curricular clubs that are on offer. They participate enthusiastically in sporting and charitable events in the local area and beyond. Pupils experience a range of opportunities that enrich the curriculum and help to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.

Their learning is enhanced through trips and visits. For example, pupils enjoy a residential camping trip, as well as visits to places of interest such as religious buildings and Buckingham Palace.

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

The school has redesigned its curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious, broad and relevant to pupils.

The curriculum is sequenced effectively so that pupils' knowledge builds over time. High-quality training for staff has helped to ensure that they deliver the curriculum well. Staff have good subject knowledge and present new information clearly to pupils.

This is helping pupils to learn successfully. For example, in science, pupils can explain the harmful effects of smoking on the circulatory system. However, in some subjects, the school's approach to checking that pupils remember important knowledge over time is at an early stage.

This means that some pupils develop gaps in knowledge over time that are not addressed as swiftly as they could be. This hinders how well pupils are able to link new learning to what they already know.

Reading is a priority across the school.

From the early years, children enjoy lots of rhymes and stories. The school's phonics programme is delivered consistently well. Staff expertly model the phonics sounds that they want pupils to learn.

Staff make sure that the books pupils read match the phonics that they are taught. This helps pupils to use these phonics skills effectively in their early reading and writing. Pupils who are struggling are given effective support to catch up.

A new approach to the teaching of reading is developing pupils' inference skills. Pupils enjoy reading and are encouraged to read books from a diverse range of authors and genres. The new school library is an inspiring space, which promotes the enjoyment of reading for pleasure.

The school places high importance on developing pupils' spoken language and vocabulary. Pupils are explicitly taught the important vocabulary that they need to know in each subject. This helps pupils to develop their knowledge and improve their communication skills.

The school quickly identifies any additional needs that pupils may have and makes sure that everyone receives the support that they need. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same curriculum as their peers at an appropriate stage for them. Staff provide effective support to enable these pupils to learn successfully, such as additional resources.

Strong working relationships have been developed with external agencies, who offer advice and support that is implemented well.

Pupils have high attendance. The school monitors attendance closely and provides effective support for families and pupils.

This helps to ensure that pupils attend school regularly.

The school provides very well for pupils' personal development. Pupils learn about important values and the importance of social justice.

Pupils take on leadership roles with relish and are proud to be part of the school council and the sustainability team. Pupils like to help the community. For example, they take part in fundraising events to help the homeless and to support the training of guide dogs.

This helps pupils to develop a sense of altruism and improve their confidence and social skills. In turn, this prepares them well for later life. A range of educational trips, visitors to school, clubs and events help bring learning to life and expand pupils' cultural experiences.

Staff feel extremely well supported by the school and are proud to be part of a strong team. They value the professional development that they receive, and how this helps them to teach the curriculum well. Governors understand the local community and the school.

They share the school's high expectations. Governors provide support and challenge effectively to ensure that the school continues to improve for the benefit of its pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school does not have an overview of how well pupils are learning the intended key knowledge over time. This means that, sometimes, pupils are not developing a deep understanding and are unable to connect their prior knowledge to new learning. The school should ensure that approaches to assessment accurately identify where pupils need to revisit prior learning, so that pupils retain key knowledge and build upon their learning over time.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in May 2016.