St Mary's Hampton Church of England Primary

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 November 2024

This is a warm and welcoming school, where pupils are nurtured and well cared for. There is a strong sense of community, which has strengthened under the new senior leadership team. The school is working through a period of transition and change where it has recently joined a trust and has two new co-headteachers. The school has high expectations for the achievement of pupils, including those with special educational needs/and or disabilities (SEND). Pupils study a broad curriculum. They enjoy their learning and make good progress through the curriculum. They achieve well in national tests in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6. Pupils are safe, and attend school very well. Conduct around the school is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and courteous. There is little disruption in class. Children in the early years develop positive social skills and show kindness to one another. The school provides a range of enrichment activities to give pupils valuable life experiences. Pupils take part in clubs and trips, including to museums and theatres. Older pupils support their peers as buddies or lead in roles of responsibility. Pupils are happy, and the school's values 'faith, hope and love' are lived out.

What the school should improve

• The school does not use assessment routinely well in some subjects to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge and any misconceptions that they may have. As a result, some pupils do not fully understand the important knowledge they need to be ready for the more complex ideas that come later in the curriculum. The school should ensure that teachers routinely check what pupils have understood and remembered, before moving on to new content.
• The school does not have a consistently rigorous and sequential approach to the reading curriculum to develop pupils' enjoyment in reading. Some pupils do not routinely read for pleasure or have a love of reading. The school should ensure that there is a strongly embedded reading culture within the school to support and develop pupils' learning.
• The school does not have a consistent system of review or quality assurance that develops the curriculum across subjects. This means that curriculum development is not as secure as it could be. The school should ensure that strong and consistent processes are in place to drive improvements forward and fully realise the school's strategic vision.

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