St Matthews Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good school. Strong and dedicated leadership from the headteacher, with support from a committed staff team and governing body, has ensured that pupils' continued good achievement is underpinned by outstanding care, guidance and support.

Excellent engagement with parents and carers and highly-effective management of teaching and learning to bring about better quality, contribute to the school's good capacity for sustained improvement. When children enter the Reception class their stages of development are generally typical for their age. Progress has improved over the past year.

Currently on entering Year 1, all children work securely within the early learning goals and a significan...t number are more advanced and reach a good stage of development in some areas of learning. This is commendable, though not outstanding because of the limiting facilities of the outdoor space for learning. Progress is improving in Key Stage 1, following an unsettled period of teaching which resulted in more-able pupils not consistently getting the challenges they need.

Pupils make good progress in Years 3 to 6 where they attain above-average levels in English and mathematics and achieve well by the time they leave the school. Good teaching has resulted from rigorous monitoring and support by the headteacher and senior staff. Some teaching is outstanding but there are also satisfactory elements, most notably the inconsistent quality of marking across classes and subjects.

The curriculum engages pupils well and extends their learning through a good range of clubs and activities, though pupils would like even more. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have some outstanding personal qualities.

Behaviour and they way in which pupils contribute to school life, for example, are exemplary and these aspects contribute to pupils always feeling safe in school. Leaders have an accurate overview of the school's work, have identified clear priorities for further improvement and good systems to bring about planned improvements. The vision and drive for the school's success is equally shared among the whole school community and generates the supportive family ethos under which the school thrives.

Information about the school

This is a smaller than average-size primary school. Almost all pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.

Very few pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. There have been significant changes in teaching staff since the last inspection. The school has achieved Healthy School status and holds the Eco Bronze Award.