The St. Mary’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created an exceptional educational experience for pupils. As a result, all pupils flourish, and achieve well.

The school values of love, respect and friendship are rooted in all that pupils do. They are happy, and enjoy attending school. The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Pupils live up to these. Pupils know what is right and what is wrong, and effortlessly know how to make the right choice. They actively support the well-being of their peers.

All pupils grow and thrive academically, socially and emotionally. They keenly and enthusiastically take part in all that the school has to offer. The wide and rich set of experiences r...ange from dance and drama, archery, and care club, to football.

They foster the interests and needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There really is something for everyone.

Pupils are eager to make a difference to their school community.

They take on a range of exciting roles, from the 'chicken monitors', who lead on caring for the school chickens, to the 'funky food ambassadors', who teach younger children about the benefits of healthy eating. Younger children trust, look up to and are inspired by older pupils. Pupils have each other's best interests at heart.

The school motto of 'Believe and Achieve' is reinforced by the biblical quotation of 'they will mount up with wings like eagles'. Pupils live and breathe this throughout their time at school. They understand, and continually seek to reach, the school's high aspirations.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and those responsible for governance have a clear and ambitious vision. This centres on providing a very high-quality education for its pupils alongside preparing them for life in modern Britain. They have achieved this.

They have ensured that staff receive effective professional development so that pupils can benefit from expert subject knowledge. The strategy is clear in every aspect of the school's work. It revolves around ensuring that pupils who attend St.

Mary's are equipped with all they need to prosper.

Children in the early years get off to a brilliant start. Staff are meticulous in their planning.

The activities are purposeful and fun. Children learn through singing, rhyming, stories and so much more. They are confident and keen to talk about what they know and can remember.

The environment is very well designed to support learning, and includes a host of natural resources. The garden and outdoor area are class favourites. Children are introduced to phonics very early on.

They confidently sound out letters and regularly practise writing these familiar sounds. All of this gives children the strong foundations they need to transition into Year 1.

The school has created and developed an excellent and broad curriculum.

It is underpinned by the national curriculum, shaped by pupils' interests and imbued with the school's core Christian values of love, respect and friendship. It is enriched by a range of opportunities. Classrooms are full of pupils who are excited and passionate about their learning.

They are eager to share their ideas with their peers and to engage in discussions. The school adapts the learning to meet the needs of all pupils. This means that all pupils, regardless of their need or starting points, succeed.

Pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers. They are involved in all aspects of school life. They are accurately assessed and identified.

Staff know their pupils well, and this means pupils get the help they need when they need it. The SEND clinics provide bespoke nurture and support. As a result, pupils achieve well, and have the skills to become increasingly independent.

Leaders have prioritised reading, and this plays a big role across all areas of the school. Pupils read a range of books avidly in school. The 'reading spine' includes a range of books linked to different subjects, diverse cultures and different families.

Those who struggle to learn to read are given bespoke help. This enables pupils to catch up quickly and to read with increased fluency and confidence. Story time is interactive and a highlight of the school day.

Staff create a real buzz, and the pupils fully immerse themselves into the world of literature.

The school has developed an exemplary personal, social and health education curriculum. Educational visits and enrichment are linked closely to the curriculum.

For example, pupils learn how to plant and care for vegetables and flowers through forest school. The local football club leads teaching pupils about mental health, and they also promote an active lifestyle. Sports such as archery have been introduced to broaden pupils' horizons and to encourage them to try new things.

Parents and staff are overwhelmingly positive about all that leaders do. Staff feel valued and express their enjoyment of working at the school. The headteacher has worked relentlessly to create an outstanding education for each and every pupil.

This has been accomplished. Leaders and staff are not complacent, and are constantly looking for new ways to make the school even better.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.