St Mary’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school The exceptional leadership from the executive headteacher, her head of school and team of leaders sets expectations for all staff to ensure their pupils thrive. As a result, pupils, including the most able, make outstanding progress. Governors are passionate and systematic in their approach when performing their statutory duties.

They accurately challenge school leaders. The slightest variation in school performance is scrutinised. Governors have a sharp focus on the well-being and safety of pupils through promoting the school's Christian ethos.

Pupils' achievement is outstanding because of high-quality teaching, learning and asse...ssment. All teachers plan with diligence. They use their deep subject knowledge and understanding of each pupil to provide rapid support and intervention to help all pupils learn extremely well.

Children in the early years, supported by strong leadership, access a high-quality, stimulating environment targeted to their needs. Children share their enthusiasm to explore and develop learning. Children's achievement by the end of the early years is above average.

All pupils make rapid and sustained progress, including disadvantaged pupils, those with disability and those with special educational needs. They read widely and often, and articulate their knowledge well. The broad and balanced curriculum strongly meets the needs of all pupils.

The federation values provide a deep emphasis on developing pupils' religious, spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Extra-curricular activities encourage pupils' self-esteem and provide highly effective links with parents. The personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils is exemplary.

Inspectors observed consistently high expectations of behaviour from staff and pupils alike. Pupils are polite, respectful, tolerant and friendly towards each other, their teachers and visitors. They have excellent attitudes and talk enthusiastically about their learning.

Pupils say they feel safe and enjoy school. Attendance is high and exclusions rare. Safeguarding is effective.

All staff undertake regular and effective safeguarding training. As a result, they know how to identify risk and promote the safety of all pupils.

Information about this school

St Mary's Church of England Primary School is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.

In September 2011, the school entered a hard federation with St Saviour's Church of England Primary School. The schools have one governing body and an executive headteacher. They also share senior and middle leaders.

Three quarters of all pupils come from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds, with a higher than average proportion speaking English as an additional language. However, most pupils speak fluently and few are at the early stages of learning English. Less than one fifth of the pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium.

This is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with disability and those with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is lower than average. The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for its pupils.

The school is part of a teacher training partnership with a local university. The executive headteacher also provides training for teachers and schools within the federation, and the local authority. The school exceeds the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Also at this postcode