St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, Portbury

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to school. They appreciate how teachers make learning fun. Teachers expect pupils to achieve well in their lessons.

This is improving their outcomes. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the school's values of 'compassion' and 'community'. As a result, relationships between staff and pupils are strong.

Pupils say that teachers keep them safe and know they can approach a trusted adult with any concerns they have. Parents and carers describe the school as being a caring place for their children to learn.

Pupils demonstrate highly positive attitudes to their learning and are keen to offer their suggestions in a respectful way.

They disp...lay exceptional manners around school and ensure that everyone is listened to. This stems from high expectations from staff, who celebrate behaviour by rewarding 'bees' to those who display the school values.

Teachers create a learning environment where all pupils can succeed.

As a result, pupils are motivated to learn and are eager to impress their teachers. Pupils say they enjoy seeing their friends succeed.

Pupils enjoy the trips the school offers such as visits to the SS Great Britain.

This helps them to strengthen their curriculum learning. Pupils enjoy responsibilities such as house captains and school chaplains.

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

The school has created an ambitious curriculum.

It is clear what pupils need to learn at each stage of the curriculum, including the early years. The curriculum is designed to build on prior learning. As a result, pupils deepen their understanding of key concepts and themes.

For example, pupils in Year 6 can talk about how plants produce food through photosynthesis. Children in the early years observe the colours of leaves to help them talk about changes in seasons.

The school has prioritised the reading curriculum and ensures that pupils read a wide variety of texts.

This inspires pupils to develop a love of reading. Teachers design lessons so pupils can build on their reading knowledge. Younger children can order events in a story accurately.

Older pupils talk in depth about the different sentence types an author has used. Teachers ensure that pupils develop their language through a range of activities. The books pupils read are well matched to the sounds they know.

In some cases, pupils misread the sounds they know. These incorrect sounds are not always addressed well enough by staff. As a result, some pupils struggle to develop the fluency they need to read with confidence.

Children in the early years have a secure sense of number and can compare amounts. As pupils progress through school, they can recall their multiplication facts to help them identify factors of numbers. In addition, pupils in Year 3 can talk confidently about applying subtraction and addition methods to solve four-digit calculations.

The school creates an inclusive learning environment. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified effectively, and leaders ensure that teachers monitor all pupils so they get the support they need. Staff are trained to adapt teaching so all pupils can learn the curriculum.

Staff check pupils' understanding regularly. Using precise interventions, they ensure pupils are ready for new learning. This means pupils are engaged and focused during lessons.

Pupils are highly motivated to learn well. They live up to the high expectations staff have of them in lessons and at social times. Pupils take great pride in their positions of responsibility such as play leaders.

They are encouraged to support other children to play well and model how other pupils should behave. The school is tenacious in improving attendance. It works constructively with parents to support pupils to come to school.

As a result, absence has reduced over time, including for vulnerable groups.

Pupils are proud of their school. They are taught how to be a good friend by listening to and trusting others.

This is supported by their knowledge of religions and cultures, where they understand tolerance and democracy. Pupils know how to stay safe online. They know how to support their mental health and well-being.

Moreover, pupils enjoy cooking sessions in school which improves their understanding of healthier lifestyles.

The trust and governing board are effective by holding leaders to account for the quality of education. Their skills have been instrumental in developing the school's curriculum.

As a result, the school receives the support it needs to enhance learning experiences for all pupils. The trust has ensured that staff workload and well-being are supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff do not check pupils' knowledge of sounds well enough when they are reading. This means misconceptions are not addressed and pupils' reading fluency and confidence is stalled. The trust should train and develop staff to help pupils to read with accuracy and become confident readers.

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