St Stephen's Catholic Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 15 April 2026

Pupils thrive at this school. They demonstrate a love for and obvious enjoyment in their learning. Pupils are proud to share their knowledge, giving detailed information and engaging others by asking their thoughts and views. Wonderful relationships between staff and pupils creates a trusting environment. Pupils are not afraid to ‘have a go’ as they are safe in the knowledge that staff will support them. Staff have a thorough and precise understanding of pupils' individual needs. They act promptly to ensure that pupils can succeed in their learning and develop emotional wellbeing. Pupils across the school achieve remarkably well and significantly above their peers in national tests. They are fully prepared and confident for the next stages in learning. Behaviour is excellent and pupils demonstrate respect and kindness towards each other. Pupils live by the values of the school, knowing that they contribute positively to the school and local community. Pupils display resilience and determination in their learning. They work highly effectively together to support and learn from each other. Classrooms are a buzz of enquiry, discussion and knowledge-sharing with pupils focused and engaged. Pupils feel safe in school. They have the skills to resolve issues and conflicts but know that staff will help if needed. Bullying is not tolerated and pupils show great respect for each other. Pupils enjoy school and do not want to miss out on any learning. This results in overall high attendance. Pupils benefit from an extensive enrichment programme. They appreciate the opportunities to try new sports like fencing and trampolining. A wide variety of trips enhance pupils' curriculum understanding. For instance, pupils visit the Houses of Parliament to better understand democracy. Older pupils relish the opportunity to learn new skills and develop independence on residential trips. Pupils are proud to represent their school in the wide range of sporting and musical events.

What the school should improve

• Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain the effectiveness of their work in all areas. They should continue to seek improvement, overcoming barriers and challenges, in order to drive a transformational impact for all pupils, including those who may have barriers to learning.

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