St Helen's Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 July 2023

St Helen's is a community in which pupils thrive. Pupils enjoy and are proud to attend their school and are keen to tell visitors about their experiences. They feel safe because of the care and vigilance of staff. Parents, staff and pupils agree that St Helen's is a welcoming place. Expectations are very clear. Pupils know and can articulate the school values, which are promoted through regular assemblies. They follow them because they think they are important. Behaviour is excellent. In lessons, pupils listen to their teachers and faithfully follow the classroom routines. During social times, pupils play well together; they are calm and happy. There are always activities they can be involved in. Pupils have many opportunities to take part in school life. The equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) group is active in the school. The group works hard to support the diverse community. Projects such as the 'complete retreat' and work with local community groups are very successful. This demonstrates the determination of the pupils at St Helen's. The school also ensures that pupils have experiences beyond the local area through visits to the theatre and to historic sites or museums.

What the school should improve

• The persistent absence of vulnerable pupils continues to be high. As a result, some pupils are not able to make good progress. The school needs to ensure there is a robust strategy for addressing the attendance of all pupils.
• The monitoring of pupils' progress and feedback in some subjects is not always consistent. As a result, pupils do not always know how to improve their work. Leaders should ensure that there are rigorous practices in place to ensure pupils are able to build on what they know.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)