St Mary's Infants' School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 27 June 2023

Pupils who attend St Mary's Infants' School are well cared for. They are confident, friendly and happy. They understand that their teachers have high expectations for them. They know that adults want them to do well. Pupils know that to meet these expectations they have to work hard and pay attention. Most do. Pupils are generally tolerant and respectful. They are polite and engaging with each other and adults in conversation. They understand the school values and how important it is to be kind to each other. Pupils know the difference between bullying and falling out with each other. While bullying is extremely rare, if it happens pupils have full confidence that adults will help them sort it out. Pupils have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities to develop new and existing interests. They can take part in clubs after school or at times during the day. For example, pupils can take part in gymnastics, cooking, art, or eco clubs. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enthusiastically take up this offer. Pupils who sing with the school choir have had the opportunity to perform to a large crowd alongside professional musicians and singers.

What the school should improve

• Routines to manage behaviour are not fully embedded. This means that some pupils' behaviour does not meet the high expectations of leaders. Pupils lose learning time as teachers need to repeat instructions or remind pupils of what is expected. Leaders should ensure expectations and learning routines are clearly defined and understood by all staff and pupils. Leaders should ensure that all staff apply the agreed procedures consistently at all times.
• Teachers sometimes adopt unhelpful pedagogical approaches, and sometimes do not use assessment well enough to secure a clear sense of how well pupils understand concepts and if they are ready to progress. Leaders should ensure that all teachers select appropriate pedagogical approaches and assess how well pupils learn. How can I feedback my views? You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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