St Mary Magdalene & St Stephen's CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 June 2026

Pupils are proud of their school. They feel safe and cared for with a clear sense of belonging. The school community is inclusive, warm and nurturing. Staff provide high levels of care. They help pupils new to the school settle quickly. Pupils are happy at school. However, they do not attend as well as they should. For some pupils, this creates gaps in their learning and they fall behind their peers. Leaders have recently prioritised reading and developing pupils’ communication skills to particularly support pupils with English as an additional language. Whilst this has had considerable positive impact, it is too early to see the impact of the renewed focus on pupils’ writing. Likewise, while pupils make progress from their starting points, leaders know some teaching of different subjects needs to be strengthened. Nevertheless, pupils generally achieve in line with national averages, including in reading, writing and mathematics. Children in the early years explore, play and develop their skills effectively. Pupils with additional needs and/or disabilities, and those who are disadvantaged, receive appropriate support. They achieve well and fully engage with the curriculum. Pupils behave well at school. They value their learning and generally respond positively to staff reminders. Incidents of bullying are rare. When needed, staff act quickly and effectively to resolve any issues. Pupils benefit from positive relationships with staff. Younger children are considerate of each other and learn to manage their emotions, swiftly developing their confidence. Older pupils take pride in supporting their younger peers. They contribute to the school community, such as taking an active role in the school council. Pupils thrive due to the rich range of experiences beyond the classroom provided. These support their social and personal development. Pupils are encouraged to have high aspirations and build a thorough understanding of the world around them preparing them for their next stage in education.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers have the subject knowledge and expertise they need across the curriculum so that pupils build on their key component knowledge in different subjects.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers effectively check what pupils have learned to identify and address gaps that arise, including through pupil absence, so that all pupils can build their learning successfully and can complete high-quality work.
• Leaders should continue to check that there are high expectations for writing across the curriculum and that the new writing curriculum is embedded across all year groups.
• Leaders should check carefully that their attendance strategy is fully enacted and having the intended impact.

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