St Michael's Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 23 April 2025

Pupils enjoy learning at this warm and friendly school. They feel happy and safe. Pupils have trusted adults they know will address any concerns they have. One pupil, reflecting the views of many, said, 'The best thing about the school is that we look after each other.' This is evident in the polite and courteous behaviour of pupils. Teachers apply the newly established expectations consistently well. As a result, the school is calm and purposeful. Staff have high expectations for pupil achievement. However, the school's work to address gaps in knowledge is not fully embedded. This means that pupils do not recall the important skills and knowledge they require consistently well. Work in books shows that too many older pupils are not well enough prepared for their next steps. The school ensures that pupils have well-designed opportunities to develop a range of skills. All pupils benefit from these experiences. They hold a range of leadership roles, including acting as librarians, house captain or school councillors. These help pupils to develop their interpersonal skills effectively. Pupils also enjoy the range of well-attended clubs the school offers, including drama or construction. They share these new talents happily through activities such as well-attended school performances.

What the school should improve

• The use of assessment to evaluate the curriculum and adapt teaching to pupils' needs is not always effective. Consequently, some pupils do not know how to improve their knowledge and skills in some subjects clearly enough and gaps in knowledge are not identified swiftly. The school should ensure that they develop the expertise of staff to be able to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge effectively.
• Some of the activities given to pupils are not selected carefully enough. They do not take into account the gaps in knowledge and skills that pupils have. As a result, some pupils do not build on prior learning or learn curriculum content as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that teachers design activities that allow pupils to deepen the important skills and knowledge they need.
• Leadership in some subjects is newly established, and some leaders do not have a clear enough understanding of the ambitious new curriculum. As a result, there are inconsistencies in the delivery of the curriculum that limit pupils' ability to learn important skills and knowledge. The school should ensure leaders receive support to provide staff with the necessary guidance to teach the curriculum, confidently and effectively.

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