St Mark’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school From the Reception classes onwards, pupils enjoy learning, make good progress and achieve well. By Year 6, standards are well above average.

From an early stage, pupils are taught to understand how to link sounds and letters to enable them to read fluently and with expression. Pupils are very well cared for and supported. They, and their parents, say that they are happy in school and feel safe.

Pupils work and play well together and are friendly and polite to adults. Their attendance is good and they behave well in lessons and around school. Teaching is good.

Teachers plan interesting work that motivates pupils to want to learn. ...Good partnerships between teachers and teaching assistants support pupils well. Any pupils at risk of falling behind are helped to catch up quickly.

The headteacher's dynamic leadership is resulting in rapid improvement. Her vision for the school is shared and strongly supported by staff and the governing body. Many opportunities to take part in the arts and sport promote pupils' moral, social and cultural development well.

The strong links with the local church contribute well to their spiritual development. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Achievement in writing is not as good as it is in reading and mathematics. The role of middle leaders in the school is underdeveloped.

Not enough teaching is outstanding and this means that pupils do not always receive the challenge and advice they need to help them make as much progress as they could.

Information about this school

The school is larger than most primary schools. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average.

The pupil premium provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in the care of the local authority. Just over half the pupils come from families of White British heritage. The other pupils come from a range of different minority ethnic backgrounds.

The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is broadly average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs at school action is below average, but the proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. The school does not send any pupils to be educated off site in other institutions or alternative placements.

The school has had a number of changes to staffing since the previous inspection. The headteacher was appointed in September 2012 following a period when the school had an acting headteacher. The current senior leadership team was formed in September 2013.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum requirements for pupils' attainment and progress

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