St Mary's CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 March 2026

Pupils at St Mary’s are proud to be part of a caring, inclusive and ambitious school community, where they ‘make a difference’ each and every day. Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in their positive attendance. Pupils are safe and secure. They are cared for by adults who know them extremely well. Pupils learn about online safety and state there is always someone they can talk to if they have any worries. New pupils, including those who arrive from overseas, are welcomed warmly and settle quickly. Pupils behave well. When rare instances of bullying or unkindness happen, staff deal with it promptly and help pupils to repair relationships. Pupils say adults listen and sort things out fairly. From the early years onwards, they learn clear routines and use shared strategies to manage their feelings. Calm spaces, breathing techniques and ‘stop and think’ prompts are embedded in the fabric of the school. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their learning. They enjoy creative projects and 'fabulous finishes' and share this work proudly with families. Pupils concentrate well in lessons and take pride in producing high-quality work that shows what they have remembered. Pupils achieve well. They get off to a positive start in early reading and phonics. Staff foster a love of books that support pupils' understanding of diversity, equity and difference. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged learn the full curriculum and receive the support they need to succeed. Staff understand pupils’ barriers to learning and adapt teaching so that everyone can take part. Pupils belong to a community that values character, kindness and responsibility. They campaign for environmental change and plant bulbs in the local area to make others smile. Pupils show compassion, confidence and a sense of fairness. They leave St Mary’s as thoughtful, articulate young people, ready for the next stage of their education.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that gaps in pupils’ transcriptional skills and grammar knowledge are addressed consistently across the curriculum, so that pupils develop the accuracy and fluency needed to achieve as well as they can.
• Leaders should refine the delivery of the early years curriculum so that vocabulary development follows a clear and progressive sequence from Nursery to Reception, enabling staff to deepen children’s language learning and maximise opportunities to practise and apply new words across the provision.

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