St Thomas CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher's high expectations, drive and enthusiasm are shared by staff and governors. The strong Christian values of truthfulness, service, respect and forgiveness permeate the school. Leaders' accurate and honest evaluations have identified areas for continued improvement.

Governors use their knowledge and skills effectively to hold leaders to account and maintain the good quality of education that pupils receive. Leaders check the impact of the actions taken to improve outcomes for pupils. As a result, pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieve well, particularly in reading.

Teachers' good subject knowledge underpins the eff...ective teaching. This contributes to the good progress that pupils make, particularly in mathematics. A high proportion of pupils achieve well in the phonics screening check in Year 1.

Pupils use their phonic knowledge effectively and are becoming confident and competent readers. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points. This is because of the quality of the help they receive from skilled staff.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that engages pupils as learners. Plans to ensure that pupils' knowledge builds progressively on what they already know are not fully embedded across subjects in the wider curriculum. Pupils use their increasing vocabulary knowledge well in their writing.

Their knowledge of technical vocabulary for other curriculum subjects other than English is not as strong. Children in Reception settle quickly into well-established routines. They thrive in the calm, nurturing environment leaders have created.

Most children reach a good level of development and are prepared well for Year 1. Behaviour in school is good. Strong relationships fostered by adults, and pupils' positive attitudes to learning are promoted consistently.

Pupils feel valued and cared for. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain because of the range of opportunities leaders provide to promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Most parents and carers would recommend the school to others.

They comment positively. A typically comment was, 'I couldn't have chosen a better school for my children.'

Information about this school

The school is similar in size to most other primary schools.

Most pupils are of White British heritage, with a very small number of pupils from a range of minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported by an EHC plan is below the national average.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is below the national average. This is Church of England voluntary aided school. The most recent Section 48 inspection of the religious aspects of the school was conducted in October 2014.