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St Mary's CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are happy to belong to this friendly and ambitious school community.
They understand that leaders want the best for them. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy learning. Pupils participate enthusiastically in lessons, and live up to leaders' expectations by trying their best.
Pupils behave well. They are polite and well mannered. Pupils are proud to welcome and support their peers who have joined the school recently.
They feel strongly that everyone should be treated with respect, regardless of their differen...ces.
Pupils benefit from having positive relationships with caring staff who know them well. This helps pupils to feel safe and secure.
Pupils said that bullying rarely happens. They are confident that if they alert staff to any such problems, then these will be resolved quickly. Pupils said that being able to talk about their feelings in the 'rainbow room' helps them to feel good about themselves.
Pupils enjoy the wide range of after-school activities such as choir practice, and history and film-making clubs. Pupils are keen to make a positive difference by taking on additional responsibilities such as 'values ambassadors' and through their support of local and national charities.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Leaders and governors have high expectations for pupils.
They are determined that all pupils, including children in the early years, should enjoy their learning and achieve well. At the end of key stage 2, pupils are prepared well to continue their learning at secondary school.
Leaders have designed a broad curriculum which is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND.
The curriculum is underpinned by leaders' vision of 'Faith, Family, Future'.
Leaders have constructed subject curriculums which set out the important knowledge that pupils should learn and remember. This knowledge has been ordered carefully so that new concepts build on pupils' previous learning.
In history, for example, pupils use their earlier knowledge of ancient Rome and Egypt to outline the key features of empires.
Subject leaders are well trained and enthusiastic. They use their expertise well to provide teachers with high-quality guidance on delivering curriculum content effectively.
Teachers use assessment well to check that pupils' learning is secure before moving on to new concepts. Subject leaders have also ensured that the development of pupils' vocabulary is given a special focus from the early years through to Year 6. However, in some topics, teachers struggle to prioritise subject content.
This means that, from time to time, some teachers do not focus enough on the most useful knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should know and remember.
Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the school's curriculum. Children in the Reception class learn sounds and letters as soon as they join the school.
Staff are skilled in delivering the early reading curriculum. Teachers make sure that the books that pupils are given to practise their reading are matched carefully to the sounds that they know. If needed, pupils are also given extra support to help them to catch up quickly.
As a result, almost all pupils learn to read fluently and confidently by the end of Year 2. This stands them in good stead to enjoy reading independently and to develop strong comprehension skills by the end of Year 6.
Leaders have ensured that teachers support pupils with SEND effectively.
Leaders keep a check on how well pupils, including pupils with SEND, are doing. They plan a wide range of precise interventions to support those pupils who need it. Pupils' needs are identified early, and teachers ensure that pupils can access the curriculum so that they achieve well.
By investing in specialist staff training, leaders have improved the support that they can offer to pupils who need help with their emotional well-being. Pupils behave well and get on well together. Learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour.
Leaders are committed to providing pupils with many opportunities beyond the classroom. Children in the Reception class were excited about practising for their part in the church parade on Remembrance Sunday. In assemblies and in lessons, pupils develop their understanding of the wider world and empathy for others.
For instance, pupils have recently watched the journey of the refugee puppet 'Amal' with great excitement and interest.
Governors fulfil their statutory duties and offer appropriate support and challenge to leaders. Staff are proud to work at the school, and share leaders' ambition for pupils.
They appreciate that school leaders are approachable and considerate of their workload. Staff said that they feel like part of a family. This feeling is echoed by the many parents and carers who hold the school in high regard.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Staff receive regular safeguarding training so they remain alert to the signs that may indicate that pupils are at risk of harm. Leaders have established clear systems for recording safeguarding concerns, and they make sure that such concerns are acted on promptly.
Leaders work effectively with a range of outside agencies to access the help that vulnerable pupils and their families need.
Through the curriculum, pupils learn about keeping themselves safe, including how to stay safe online and the features of healthy relationships.
What does the school need to do to improve?
(Information for the school and appropriate authority)
• Very occasionally, teachers do not have precise clarification about the important curriculum content to prioritise and revisit.
This means that, from time to time, teachers do not focus sufficiently well on the most useful knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should know and remember. Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the most important knowledge that pupils should know, so that they are prepared for subsequent learning.
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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.
Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.
This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2016.
