St Margaret’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school, and feel happy and safe. This is because they are well cared for by all staff and respected by other pupils. Pupils thrive in the inclusive community where everyone accepts and celebrates difference.

Pupils develop a strong sense of what is right and wrong. They understand the importance of values such as tolerance and respect. Pupils live by the motto, 'Treat others as you like to be treated.'

Bullying seldom happens. If it does happen, staff deal with it quickly and effectively. Pupils know that they have responsibilities towards each other and the environment.

One pupil explained this, saying, 'We are God's hands on earth....'

Pupils behave well in lessons. They listen attentively to staff and concentrate on their work.

Pupils are sensible when discussing their learning with their partners. Most pupils enjoy their learning because the curriculum is engaging. In many subjects, pupils know and remember what they have learned recently and in the past.

In some subjects their knowledge is less secure.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of opportunities on offer. These include learning to play a musical instrument, singing in the choir and playing curling.

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

The school has been through some significant challenges in recent years, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, leaders, including governors and trust leaders, have continued to focus on improving the school. They keep pupils at the heart of all their decisions.

Leaders make sure that all pupils get the support they need to reach their full potential.

Children get off to a good start in Nursery. Staff develop partnerships with parents and carers from the beginning.

They take effective steps to meet children's needs. The children are active learners. They concentrate and keep trying until they achieve what they set out to do.

Children in Reception learn to read, write and count straight away. They use the sounds they know to read and write simple words and captions. They can count and order numbers to 10.

Reading has a high priority in the school. Staff have the expert knowledge they need in order to teach phonics and early reading well. Plans show clearly what children should know term by term.

There is a clear sequence of learning in lessons that all staff follow. Staff use a range of assessments to identify when pupils need extra help to keep up. The extra support helps pupils, including those who struggle to read, to develop their confidence and read more fluently.

Many books the pupils read match the letter sounds they know. The school is currently moving to a new phonics programme with new books that will all match the sounds children know. Younger pupils respond to books well, because staff read in an engaging way.

Older pupils can talk about books they have read by different authors, and can compare different themes.

In mathematics, curriculum plans are well sequenced so that pupils build on what they have learned before. Staff give clear explanations.

They provide support to make sure that pupils know and understand what they are doing. Staff use assessments well to decide who needs extra help to keep up.

In many subjects, including science, curriculum plans identify the specific knowledge that pupils need to know and build on over time.

Staff understand precisely what to teach and when. They do this clearly and as a result, pupils know and remember what they have learned. However, in some subjects, such as history, there are gaps in pupils' learning.

Leaders makes sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access the same ambitious curriculum as all pupils. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides staff with effective support and training to help them meet pupils' needs. This helps pupils to learn the curriculum well and catch up when they have fallen behind.

Leaders, including governors, are also ambitious for disadvantaged pupils. They use additional funding effectively to close any gaps in achievement. This includes providing one-to-one tutors and external support for attendance.

There is a calm and orderly environment around the school, both in lessons and out on the playground. Leaders and staff manage behaviour well. They have positive relationships with pupils, and provide effective guidance and support for pupils when issues arise.

The school provides many opportunities to develop responsible, active and respectful pupils. There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils' character and pupils strive to reach a 'gold standard', which means giving 100% in everything they do.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that all staff are suitable to work with children. They carry out the appropriate checks. All staff have completed safeguarding training.

This helps them to identify anything of concern. The school has effective systems, that all staff know, for reporting concerns. Leaders are quick to respond to any issues identified.

They work well with pupils' families to provide help and support. Leaders also work with other agencies, when required, to make sure that pupils are safe.

The curriculum teaches pupils how to stay safe, including online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all curriculum plans identify the precise knowledge that pupils will know and build on over time. As a result, pupils' knowledge in some subjects is not as secure as it should be. Leaders must make sure that all plans identify the precise knowledge pupils need to know, so that it builds on their knowledge and supports them to make connections with what they have learned before.