St Paul’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. The headteacher and her leadership team, supported very effectively by the governing body, diocese and local authority, have demonstrated unwavering determination to drive up standards since the last inspection.

As a result, teaching and achievement across the school have improved rapidly. Achievement is outstanding and the school's records show that excellent progress is being made by pupils in all year groups across reading, writing and mathematics, as well as in other subjects such as history, geography and religious education. Children get off to a good start in the early years because a majority reach good levels of development by th...e end of the Reception Year, due to effective teaching.

Occasionally, teaching does not provide children with sufficient challenge. Pupils are challenged exceptionally well to make very fast progress in lessons across the school. The teaching of phonics (the linking of sounds and letters) is particularly effective.

All staff are now held fully accountable for progress. Staff strongly support the leadership in its drive for continuous improvement. Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school.

They very much enjoy learning and the school gives them excellent care and support. The safety of the pupils is outstanding. Adults ensure pupils are highly aware of how to keep themselves safe in different situations.

Leaders and governors ensure the site is extremely safe. The curriculum enables all pupils to develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in, and contribute very positively to, life in modern Britain. The exceptional growth of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is shaped by leaders work to thread this through all aspects of school life.

This includes their in-depth study of different religions, very strong links with the local community groups and charitable work with 'Water Aid'. Senior and middle leaders are rigorous in their checking of teaching and learning. They very quickly identify any dips in standards and resolve issues with appropriate training or interventions.

Governance is very effective. Governors are supportive of the school and routinely challenge leaders. As a result, the school has rapidly improved and has a wide range of highly effective processes, including performance management, to sustain these improvements.

The headteacher and leadership team have set very specific expectations for outstanding teaching. They provide highly focused support for staff to quickly improve their practice that can be sustained to provide good and outstanding teaching in all key stages.

Information about this school

The school is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average. The proportion of those who speak English as an additional language is also above average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above the national average.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding to give extra support to those known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after) is above average. In 2014, the school met the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school provides part-time and full-time early years provision for children in Nursery in one morning class and one afternoon class.

Provision for children in Reception is full time. The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club each day. Nearly all the teaching staff have started at the school since the last inspection.

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