St Ann's Heath Junior School

Overview

St Ann’s Heath Junior School has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The report describes a “very happy, warm and welcoming community” where staff “really care for, support and challenge all children.” Pupils achieve high standards through a “rich, ambitious curriculum” and become “confident, collaborative learners” who are well prepared for their next steps in education.

Strengths

• The school offers an “ambitious, well-structured curriculum” with a strong focus on early reading, resulting in pupils becoming “confident and fluent readers.”
• Writing standards have seen “significant improvements” due to a recent focus on boosting skills, with pupils applying writing in various contexts.
• Pupils demonstrate “impressive” behaviour and conduct, supported by the school’s “three golden rules” and a culture where they “help each other however they can.”
• The “St Ann’s Inspiring Leaders” programme provides valuable life skills, including financial budgeting and first aid, fostering independence.
• Staff provide precise support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, ensuring they “achieve their very best.”

Areas to improve

• In some curriculum areas, pupils are introduced to “too complex or too much subject-specific knowledge,” which hampers their ability to remember important information.
• Some teachers’ checks on learning are “less effective,” meaning subsequent teaching is not adapted as well as it could be, preventing some pupils from thinking more deeply.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.