St Stephen's CofE First School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 March 2024

The school is proud to be part of the diverse area it serves. There is a high level of trust and respect for the school within the local community. Everybody is welcome here, and newcomers quickly feel that they are part of the St Stephen's family. The school is a happy place in which to work and learn. Pupils feel safe at school because they know that all staff care about them and will listen to their worries. The school has high expectations for achievement for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils typically work hard to meet these expectations and they achieve well. The school community is enriched by the many pupils who speak English as an additional language. Leaders have ensured that these pupils get the support they need to also achieve well. The school's motto of 'Achieve, aspire and care for one another' can be seen in practice in the classrooms and on the playground. Pupils work together happily in class and engage in friendly play at breaktimes. Playground buddies make sure that no pupils are left alone. The older pupils look after the younger children, including listening to younger pupils read in breakfast club.

What the school should improve

• The school does not ensure that its high expectations for writing are consistently met by pupils in all subjects. Pupils sometimes make mistakes with punctuation and letter and number formation when writing in other subjects, and these errors are not addressed. The school should ensure that the expectations for writing are consistently applied across all subjects so that pupils get the opportunity to embed these skills.

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