St Stephens Community Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school because: Pupils' outstanding achievement starts from the moment they enter the school and continues until they leave. They are inspired and encouraged to excel in this wonderful school where everything is focused on improving the life chances of all pupils.

Pupils come to school highly motivated and are keen to learn. As a consequence, they are making exceptional progress and achieving high standards in all subjects. Inclusion is at the heart of this school where everyone really does matter.

All pupils are encouraged to take a full and active part in all school activities. This extends to the pupils from the Area Resource Base whe...re outstanding provision, delivered by a team of dedicated staff, ensures that they are fully included. Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding.

They are extremely proud of their school and are keen to represent it within the community. They wear their achievement badges with pride, are polite and are highly respectful towards each other, their teachers and other adults. The quality of teaching is outstanding.

Stimulating lessons are well planned and expertly delivered by an excellent team of teachers and teaching assistants. Pupils are keen to say how much they enjoy the work and they can be seen in lessons working hard on tasks that are set at exactly the right level for individual pupils. However, on a few rare occasions pupils are not given enough opportunities to think and learn by themselves in order to fully develop their independent learning skills.

The headteacher and his highly committed team have ensured that the school has rapidly improved. They demonstrate outstanding leadership and management, driving sustainable improvements focused on improving pupils' outcomes. All leaders, including governors, have challenged teachers to deliver lessons of the highest quality.

They have an attention to detail and a desire to ensure that the school continues to improve in the future.

Information about this school

St Stephens is a smaller-than-average sized primary school where most pupils attend from the local community. The school has an Area Resource Base, which provides for a small number of children with severe learning difficulties.

Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. Very few have English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average.

The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above average. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for children in the care of the local authority, is above average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.