St Mary Bourne Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 December 2022

Pupils are happy at this school. They behave well and are respectful of others. They are confident that staff will listen to them if they have any worries. Leaders deal with concerns swiftly and effectively. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens. Staff and pupils enjoy positive relationships which help to create a calm and purposeful environment. This helps pupils to feel safe. Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum which supports pupils to learn well and develop resilience and self-belief. Staff have high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy rising to the challenge, try hard and are proud of their work. They speak confidently about their learning. The school's values of teamwork, respect, enthusiasm and excellence are reflected throughout the school. These values are demonstrated well in Reception, where children work together in the sandpit. Older pupils also work well together to recall key history knowledge, for example about King Alfred. Older pupils also enjoy being reading buddies with the younger children.

What the school should improve

• Leaders' communication with parents is sometimes not as clear as it could be. This means that, at times, parents do not fully understand how to support their child with their learning. Leaders should work to strengthen positive communication with parents.
• Subject leadership of subjects other than mathematics and English is underdeveloped. Consequently, leaders do not know how well pupils are learning across the wider curriculum. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders are equipped with the skills and capacity to check how effectively the curriculum is delivered and how well pupils are learning as they move through it.

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