St Margaret’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Ipswich

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now.

The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

St Margaret's is a warm and inspirational place to be. Pupils accept and value each other for who they are.

They deeply respect and show kindness to everyone, no matter their background.

Pupils know staff will go to great lengths to support them. Staff form highly nurturing relationships with pupils.

...>This gives pupils the complete confidence to share their feelings and worries. This helps keep pupils safe, as staff always follow up on concerns.

Teachers have the highest aspirations for what pupils should learn and provide highly personalised support for their needs.

Pupils achieve the best possible standards. Those who are new to the school, get an extensive range of support to help them settle quickly.

Pupils find lessons highly engaging.

They want to participate. This means that they behave well and focus on their learning. Pupils learn all about what treating people well means.

This is a natural part of the school culture.

A treasure trove of enrichment opportunities is available. For example, pupils have opportunities to perform at Snape Maltings Concert Hall and participate in Victorian workshops at Christchurch Mansion.

All of this helps enrich their learning experience well beyond the classroom.

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

The school has a highly ambitious curriculum offer. For example, leaders have worked with experts to ensure that the computing curriculum builds exceptional depth to pupils' knowledge of coding.

The teaching of the curriculum is of a consistently high standard. Specialist music teaching, for instance, supports pupils to be highly confident in musical performance. Recently, pupils performed an opera performance at the Northgate Arts Centre.

The school has subject leaders that are experts in what they do. Subject leaders have the time to train staff. This means that teachers have a strong subject knowledge.

In lessons, teachers regularly check what pupils know. They give pupils precise guidance and support with what they need to improve. Consequently, pupils achieve extremely well.

They produce consistently high standards of work.

Pupils become confident readers. Staff have a firm understanding of how to teach phonics, right from early years.

Pupils who join the school with little experience of speaking English receive highly effective support to catch up quickly. As pupils progress through the school, they read a range of high-quality books and texts. Teachers skilfully use these to ensure that pupils develop depth in their comprehension ability.

Pupils show their detailed understanding in class discussions and through their writing.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from a highly inclusive school environment. The school goes to great lengths to include those with the highest levels of need.

There is specialist support for non-verbal pupils. The use of signing and symbols means that non-verbal pupils are enabled to communicate. Staff skilfully use the sensory room to meet pupils' specific needs.

Children in early years follow firmly established routines. They know how to listen on the carpet and work considerately with others. They enjoy engaging activities as part of a highly stimulating curriculum.

These build on and cement the learning their teachers introduce. Children develop exceptional communication skills because adults model conversation so well. For example, children can explain in detail how dinosaurs are now extinct and that you can now only see them in a museum.

All of this helps prepare them very well for key stage 1.

Pupils behave with tolerance and respect because these are embedded in the school's values. Staff apply the behaviour policy consistently.

They provide effective support so that pupils with social and emotional needs learn to manage their feelings. Consequently, school is a pleasant place to be, where learning is not disrupted. Pupils like school and so attend well.

The school has ensured that being a mutually supportive community is at the heart of personal development. This extends well beyond the school gates. The school has established mutually beneficial relationships with organisations such as the local church.

Pupils' moral, social and cultural development is extensively promoted through assemblies, school events and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Pupils value the extensive range of wider opportunities to suit all interests. These include residential visits, mastermind competitions, sports festivals, workshops and visits from external speakers.

The school is a mutually supportive environment. Staff genuinely care about each other's well-being. They value the thought leaders give to policies, such as assessment, so that workload is manageable.

Governors know the school well, and they challenge and support school leaders effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 in October 2014.