St Anne's School and Sixth Form College

Overview

St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College is described as a “caring and welcoming school” where “all pupils feel valued” and “excellent relationships exist between staff and pupils.” The report highlights a “calm and orderly environment” with a “broad and relevant curriculum” that is carefully adapted to meet individual needs, ensuring pupils are “well prepared for their next steps in education and for adulthood.”

Strengths

• Staff maintain “high expectations” and use “consistent routines” to support pupils, fostering a sense of community where pupils “feel safe and trust adults.”
• Leaders have developed “different learning pathways” underpinned by an ambition for pupils to communicate their “wishes, feelings and concerns” effectively.
• A “well-considered reading programme” enables pupils to read with confidence, with staff highly skilled in delivering tailored instruction, including Braille.
• Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as acting as “school councillors” or sixth-form “librarians,” contributing to their personal development.
• The new leadership team has provided “much stability” following significant changes, with staff feeling “heard” and early career teachers “well supported.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure the early years curriculum is planned effectively so adults can better support children’s learning and play in outdoor provision.
• Leaders should complete curriculum redesigns in a small number of subjects to maintain “consistency of quality in all curriculum areas.”
• Leaders must ensure all staff maintain appropriate records of restrictive physical intervention (RPI) incidents to allow for sufficient oversight of trends.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff receiving relevant training and having a “comprehensive understanding of the signs” that a pupil may need help or protection.