St Mary and St Margaret’s Church of England Aided Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils are safe and cared for, with parents appreciating the support their children receive. Pupils use the school's values to guide them to make the right choices and to act wisely.

Being caring is a value that is most important to the pupils, with pupil worship leaders promoting '21 acts of kindness' to spread happiness across their school.

Most pupils achieve well in their learning because they enjoy the topics that they study. Pupils' learning builds effectively on what they have learned previously.

Many pupils enjoy coming to school and do so regularly. Classrooms are calm places where pupils are able to learn without disruption. A...ttitudes to learning are positive and pupils understand the importance of making improvements to their work and show increasing independence in their work over time.

Pupils enjoy the wider opportunities offered to them. Learning musical instruments, getting the chance to represent the school in competitions and being elected as pupil leaders are a few of the things that motivate them. Most leave this school with high aspirations and a desire to do well.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has worked collaboratively with external partners to improve the curriculum. New approaches to how learning interventions are delivered has improved provision in areas such as reading, where pupils now receive focused support to enable them to keep up with their classroom learning. Leaders are continuing work with support partners to further develop aspects of their provision such as ensuring that effective monitoring of school improvement actions is in place.

The school has developed the learning sequences in the curriculum so that they build progressively on what pupils know and can do. In some subjects, where the delivery of the planning is more effective, this impacts positively on pupils' learning. However, some staff have not received the necessary subject-specific training to deliver the curriculum as intended in some subjects.

In addition to this, some subject leaders are not yet fully monitoring their subjects closely enough to identify where further improvements and support for staff are needed.

Most staff use questioning well to check how well pupils understand their learning and to identify if misconceptions arise. When this happens, they make effective adaptations to learning and model what is expected to support pupils' understanding.

Pupils develop a love of reading and enjoy visiting their well-resourced school library. Many also enjoy the experience of listening to their teachers read stories to them. Most pupils read at home regularly with parents supporting the school well by keeping records of how well their children do.

By the end of Year 2, most pupils demonstrate the ability to read with increasing fluency.

Children in the early years get off to an increasingly good start. They begin learning to read from the first days of attending Reception.

Those who attend Nursery enjoy sharing books, rhymes and poems. Warm relationships with key adults and recent developments to the learning environment have helped children to feel settled. Carefully planned interactions while children engage in planned activities mean that they are well supported to develop independent learning skills and a curiosity about the world around them.

This is an inclusive school, where pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported and celebrated. Additional needs are identified early and well-constructed support plans help to remove barriers to pupils' learning. The school works effectively with parents and external services to support those with the most complex needs.

Pupils with mental health and social needs receive daily support from pupil support workers.

Most pupils behave well at this school, with those who struggle receiving effective support to manage their difficulties. Pupils enjoy achieving dojos and sharing this news with their parents.

Many pupils value their education and display positive attitudes to learning. There are far fewer pupils absent from school, meaning that their learning and social development needs are better supported.

Opportunities for pupils to develop talents and interests are plenty.

Singing at community events and the local care home has led to opportunities for pupils to learn how to communicate with people who have dementia. Celebrating difference and diversity is something that pupils are proud of and which they know helps their school to be a nice place to learn.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not ensured that there is effective monitoring of school improvement actions. As a result, the school has not identified where the actions are not leading to the required improvements. The school should ensure that effective monitoring systems are more consistently in place to identify and effectively address key improvement priorities.

• Some subject leaders have not been supported well enough to carry out their roles fully. Consequently, opportunities to identify where teaching practice could be better, and the support needed to do this, are missed. The school should ensure that all subject leaders are supported to carry out their roles effectively.

In some subjects, the school has not ensured that staff receive the necessary support to deliver all of the disciplinary aspects of the curriculum. This has an impact on how well pupils develop subject-specific skills and knowledge in these subjects. The school should ensure that all staff receive the support to deliver the curriculum as intended.

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