St Stephen’s C E Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils achieve well and make good progress. By the end of Year 6, pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is significantly above the national average.

The provision for early years is good. Children in Reception are taught well and receive good care and support from staff. As a result, they make good progress from their starting points.

Disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make similar progress to their classmates. Teaching is good. This contributes strongly to the progress pupils make.

Teachers and teaching assistants work effectively toge...ther. They create a very positive working environment that motivates and engages pupils in their learning. The headteacher provides strong and effective leadership and is highly ambitious for the school.

Leaders and managers work effectively as a team to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching and raise achievement. Pupils are courteous and respectful. Their behaviour is good.

Staff ensure that pupils feel safe in the school. Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and this supports their good progress. Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their high attendance.

The school's promotion of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is highly effective. This prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Governors have high expectations for pupils.

They are skilful and provide effective support and challenge to bring about improvements. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The disadvantaged pupils do not make enough progress across the different year groups in mathematics. The additional support that disadvantaged pupils receive is not always monitored frequently enough to assess its impact to bring about rapid and sustained progress.

In some year groups, teachers do not have high enough expectations of the quality and quantity of work that some disadvantaged pupils are expected to produce.

Information about this school

St Stephen's Church of England Primary School is an above-average-sized primary school. Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic groups with the largest group being from a White British background.

The number of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is below average. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after by the local authority.

Six per cent of pupils are disabled or have special educational needs and are supported by school action. Three per cent of pupils are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs. Both proportions are below the national average.

The school is going through the process of significant change from being a junior school with three classes in each year group to becoming a primary school with two classes in each year group. The school became an all-through primary school in September 2012, with two Reception classes. The first cohort of children entered Year 2 in September 2014, so there are no Key Stage 1 test results for the school yet.

Currently, the school has two classes from Reception to the end of Year 5. The school still has three classes in Year 6. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.