St Mary's Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 January 2025

Pupils describe this school as a safe and welcoming place. The friendly atmosphere ensures that new pupils settle in quickly. Pupils know how the school values help them to show respect to others and be ready to learn. They understand that staff expect them to work hard and do their best. Pupils live up to these expectations and achieve well in many areas of the curriculum. The school promotes positive behaviour. Across the school, pupils are polite and extremely courteous. They understand and follow the school rules well. This starts in Nursery, where children take turns and listen carefully. Staff provide high-quality pastoral support for pupils who struggle to manage their emotions. Pupils feel cared for. Relationships are strong between adults and pupils. Pupils trust adults to listen to them. They talk positively about how their 'I wish our teacher knew' boxes help them to share any worries or concerns they may have. Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, including karate, choir and netball. They take pride in becoming house captains, librarians and 'mini chaplains'. Pupils say these roles give them an opportunity to be heard and help them to make decisions to improve the school.

What the school should improve

• Assessment is still being developed in some wider curriculum subjects. Where this is the case, it is not yet used well enough to check that pupils have remembered what they have been taught. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and do not build it well over time. The school needs to ensure that teachers use assessment effectively so that pupils learn and remember the curriculum successfully in all subjects.

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