St. Marys CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 March 2023

St. Mary's is a welcoming and inclusive school, where there are caring relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils are happy and feel safe in school. Leaders have secured a calm learning environment. Bullying is rare at this school. Pupils have confidence that, if it did happen, staff would resolve it quickly. Pupils know the trusted adults they can speak to in school if they have a worry, as well as their peers who are 'kindness ambassadors'. Staff have very high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils behave well and concentrate conscientiously on their learning. Pupils enjoy lessons and pay close attention in class. The learning environment in Reception is purposeful and inviting. It is a place where children thrive. Staff teach children to regulate their emotions and take turns. As a result, children quickly settle into school routines. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They value the opportunity to visit the school on 'Walk in Wednesdays', where they can learn about different areas of the curriculum and see it in action. One comment, typical of many, was: 'There is a culture of positive encouragement in the school and a good environment for children to feel comfortable and thrive in.'

What the school should improve

• There is some variation in the implementation of the planned curriculum. This means there are occasions when teachers do not always choose the most appropriate approach for delivering lesson content or helping pupils to remember and build on the specific knowledge being taught. As a result, pupils' learning is not consistently secured. Leaders must ensure that they provide clear support and guidance to all staff so that the curriculum is implemented consistently well.
• Leaders' curriculum planning in a few subjects is still in development. In these subjects, leaders have not yet clearly identified all the important knowledge pupils need to learn and that teachers therefore need to assess. Leaders should ensure that, once developed, their new curriculum plans are implemented effectively and that teachers assess the precise subject knowledge in the curriculum that they want pupils to remember and use effectively.

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