St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Banbury

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 March 2022

Pupils enjoy their time at this welcoming school. They believe it to be a compassionate place in which to learn, grow and make friends. Pupils also enjoy learning new things. They especially like mathematics, but many pupils would like the work to be even more challenging. Pupils behave well around the school. Staff have high expectations and model everything they expect. Playtimes are social occasions for everyone. Children from very different backgrounds delight in each other's company and friendship. Pupils confirm bullying is very rare. Any worries are dealt with effectively by staff. Leaders are wisely aware of the challenges and changing school population. Therefore, the school prioritises building relationships and understanding everyone's needs. The inclusive culture is clear and consistent with the prominent school values. As a result, pupils get the start they need and feel that they belong. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of this school, its staff and its principled approach. One parent said, 'The school has created a strong culture that celebrates diversity and empowers children to learn.' Leaders make sure pupils experience a broad range of subjects. They also provide a wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom. Pupils have recently begun to take part in forest school, which they love.

What the school should improve

• The work pupils are given in mathematics is not consistently demanding. It does not match the aims of the curriculum and is not coherently well planned. As a result, pupils are not effectively building their knowledge and skills cumulatively to be better prepared for the next stage of learning. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans are explicitly clear about what pupils need to know and the best order to learn it.
• Teachers' expert subject knowledge is sometimes too variable, for example in PSHE. Therefore, teaching does not consistently help pupils remember long term the content they have been taught and to integrate new knowledge into larger ideas. Leaders should equip teachers with the skills to check that all pupils have learned the essential knowledge securely.

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