St Anne’s Receives Centre of Excellence Status

March 4, 2019

---

St Anne’s Catholic Primary School in Lambeth has achieved IQM Centre of Excellence status.

Calm and Nurturing Atmosphere

St Anne’s is in the centre of Vauxhall, a real inner-city school. It is surrounded by busy main roads but once inside there is a calm and nurturing atmosphere. This is an island in the middle of a noisy and heavily polluted part of London. Although most of the students are Catholic, the Headteacher, Catherine Davis is proud to accept children from other faiths. The church is immediately next door and together they have created a deep-rooted sense of community.

Proud Pupils

All pupils feel proud to wear the school uniform which helps bind them together. They feel safe here and know the adults are here to listen and support them. There is a clear sense of purpose in every class. Lessons are engaging and children show respect to each other and to the staff and visitors.

An Inclusive Ethos

The school was recently inspected by OfSTED in May 2018 when it was graded as ‘Good’. The Governors fully support the inclusive ethos and welcome children who may have had difficult experiences elsewhere. Children with no English settle in quickly. Challenging children are not seen as a problem. Staff believe that all children have a right to a good education and they will do their best to ensure each child receives it at St Anne’s. The leadership team recognise that overall standards could be higher if these children were encouraged to be in other schools but that would be a breach of trust and would be deemed as unacceptable here.

Encouraged to Try Out New Ideas

The Headteacher encourages her staff to take risks and try out new ideas. The Assistant Head for Inclusion, Miguel Carrascal, the SENCo Lindsey Kelly and Acting Deputy Kat Smith, work tirelessly to ensure all the needs of every child are being met. Systems throughout the school are consistently monitored to ensure they are fit for purpose. If it is felt that they could be improved or changed then they have the licence to seek a new strategy, for example, a new coaching model is being implemented to ensure observations of teachers are more focused, relevant and feedback is shorter. Staff feel more positive regarding this new approach. Also, senior staff realise that the mental health of the children is paramount.

A New Project

They are introducing a new project supported by Place2Be and although in its infancy it has every chance of success because it is being implemented with the support of the very able Kelly Saunders-Cross, the SEN teacher.

Pupils Feel Well Prepared

Pupils know that by working hard in school it will impact on their lives as adults. They feel that they are being well prepared for the next stage by good quality teaching.

Classrooms are Well Organised

All of the classrooms are well organised and there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere in each of them. Staff know what is expected of them as there is a proforma which is checked off at the beginning of the autumn term when senior staff do a learning walk.

Lesson Plans Clearly Differentiated

Lesson plans clearly show that the work is differentiated according to the needs of the children. Once a child’s needs have been assessed the school will ensure that ways are sought to address them as well as possible. The role of the teaching assistants has changed to ensure their time is better focused on raising standards.

Parents Feel Listened To

Parents feel that they are listened to and communications are good. They know that if they have a concern, they can speak directly to the teacher either in person or through e-mail. They have seen the progress that certain more vulnerable children have made and they support the inclusive approach, as they know that if this level of care is shown to that child, they are confident that it is shown to their child. They are very happy that their children are happy, no matter which year group they are in.

Find out more about the IQM Inclusive School Award

If your school is interested in obtaining the IQM Inclusive School Award or you wish to talk to a member of the IQM team please telephone:

028 7127 7857 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm)
or email: info@iqmaward.com for further details.

Want more information on the IQM Award? Click here to request your free IQM information pack.