St Mary and St Pancras Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

St Mary and St Pancras is a vibrant, welcoming and inclusive school.

Relationships are respectful and nurturing. The school's vision and values of 'compassion, respect, thankfulness, endurance, friendship and forgiveness' underpin all aspects of the school's work. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

They benefit from the wide range of exciting activities the school provides. Pupils are kept safe here. They are c...onfident about talking to a member of staff if they are worried about something.

All staff have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils thrive and achieve very well in this environment. The curriculum is broad and offers a stimulating range of subjects.

The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are at the heart of this. Pupils with SEND follow the same ambitious curriculum and receive extra help when they need it.

Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school.

They are proud ambassadors for the school, readily taking on a range of responsibilities. They are keen to participate in the rich range of clubs the school offers, such as art, computing, football and choir. All pupils in key stage 2 learn to play a brass instrument, which they describe as 'an amazing opportunity'.

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

The school has given careful thought to the knowledge that it wants all pupils to learn in the curriculum. This has been logically sequenced so that pupils build on secure foundations right from the start. Children in the early years are supported effectively to develop their communication and language.

They are given regular opportunities to develop confidence in using and understanding numbers. This prepares them well for learning in key stage 1.

The school has prioritised early reading as the cornerstone of its curriculum.

In Nursery, children start to develop their understanding of the sounds that letters make through joining in with stories and songs. In their Reception year, they learn to read using phonics. This starts straight away.

Staff have been trained well and teach with precision. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read develop the knowledge they need to read with fluency. Teachers ensure that pupils read books that match the sounds they know.

The school identifies swiftly those who struggle. This information is used effectively so that pupils, including pupils with SEND, are supported to become confident readers. The school promotes reading throughout pupils' time at the school.

Pupils talk excitedly about reading and are enthusiastic about visits by authors and poets.

Teachers explain ideas and concepts clearly. They have strong subject knowledge.

They check pupils' understanding regularly so that any gaps in their knowledge or understanding can be addressed swiftly. Staff value the high-quality support the school provides for their professional development.

Staff are highly ambitious for pupils with SEND.

The school identifies these pupils with precision, ensuring that the right support is put in place to help them access all aspects of the school's curriculum. Where greater levels of support are needed, staff work closely with external specialists and break learning down into smaller components. Pupils, including pupils with SEND, produce high-quality work across the curriculum.

The school has an extensive programme for pupils' personal development. This includes opportunities for pupils to learn about how to look after their physical and mental health. Pupils enjoy participating in the school's trips and events.

The school has ensured that these are planned in a meaningful way. For example, when studying the Great Fire of London, pupils visit Pudding Lane where the fire started. Pupils behave with consistently high levels of respect for others.

They appreciate and respect difference in their local community and in the world. They are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The school has taken decisive action to raise attendance and reduce absence.

Pupils attend very well. Staff have put clear systems in place to ensure that pupils attend regularly and on time. They work closely with other agencies to ensure that pupils' welfare is carefully monitored and take swift action if there are patterns of concern.

Leaders are highly reflective about the standards of education in the school and use information precisely to improve the school's performance. Governors share the same high ambition for all pupils to succeed in their education. They hold other leaders to account for the quality of education at the school.

Staff are proud to work here and appreciate the way the school considers the impact of any changes on their well-being and workload. They work closely with parents and carers, who are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the education it provides.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2019.