St Mary’s CofE First Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Since their appointment, senior leaders have led a rapid improvement of the school.

The areas for improvement from the previous inspection have been addressed. The quality of teaching and outcomes for the pupils are now good. Through the federation, leaders have a shared ambition that all pupils receive a high-quality education.

Support from a multi-academy trust and other local schools has assisted the school in building capacity for improvement. Governors are effective. They carry out their roles professionally and always act in the best interest of the pupils.

They know the strengths and weaknesses of the school well. Teachers... set work that builds effectively on the differing abilities of pupils in the class. Tasks are appropriately challenging.

The school has the overwhelming confidence of parents and carers. Relationships are very strong. Staff look after pupils very well.

Safeguarding is effective. Although phonics is generally taught well, this year there has been a decline in the results of the Year 1 phonics screening check. Pupils behave well.

They enjoy school and develop positive attitudes to learning. The early years is led well. The children make strong progress because the teachers provide stimulating and challenging activities to meet their needs.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum is covered well and that it provides pupils with experiences in the context for learning. Current pupils make strong progress in writing. However, while the teaching of writing is good, pupils do not always apply their writing skills consistently across a range of subjects.

New approaches to the teaching of reading are embedding well. As a result, reading is taught well and pupils are enthusiastic about reading. However, pupils do not yet have enough opportunities to develop their comprehension skills further.

Middle leaders are new to their role. They now play a key role in leading developments across the curriculum, but they are not sufficiently involved in improving the quality of teaching and learning in their subject. Leaders focus on the right areas for improvement.

However, they are not sharp enough, in their action plans, in setting targets that are specific, time-related and measurable. Plans do not indicate who is monitoring and evaluating the impact of actions. That it

Information about this school

St Mary's C of E (C) First School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.

It is federated with a local middle school and has an arrangement with a multi-academy trust. The executive headteacher is responsible for the leadership of the first and middle school. He is supported by two heads of school from the first school, and they share the role of headteacher.

The school receives support from the middle school, a multi-academy trust, the diocese, the local authority and local schools. The number of pupils in each year group is uneven, and there are currently fewer pupils in Year 4. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are taught in mixed-age classes.

The school provides a breakfast and after-school club. The school's religious character was last inspected in July 2015. Children attend full-time in the Reception Year, and part-time in the nursery.

Since the previous inspection, the leadership team has been restructured. The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is slightly below average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well below average. Most pupils come from a White British background. Very few speak English as an additional language.