Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School Greenway, Kingston St Mary, Taunton, Somerset TA2 8JH

p.1

Outcome

Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils exemplify the school’s values of kindness, respect, responsibility and resilience. They rightly describe Kingston St Mary as a calm, safe and fun place to learn. Pupils work and play happily together. Positive relationships are evident in all parts of school life. This helps pupils to develop positive attitudes to their learning.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff care deeply about pupils. They have high expectations, which are seen consistently in lessons and around the school. Pupils learn to live by these expectations and follow them well. Older pupils like to take responsibility. They look out for, and support, younger pupils. This all contributes to the family feel.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is exceptionally rare. Pupils say they know adults will sort out bullying when it happens. Parents agree that their children are safe. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school. All parents who contributed to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View, said they would recommend the school to another parent.

p.1

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

Leaders, including governors, know the school very well. They provide effective leadership. Staff appreciate how their well-being has been considered, especially during the pandemic. Leaders prioritise pupils’ learning. For example, they ensured that staff could focus on providing education as well as supporting pupils’ well-being since the pandemic began. This has helped maintain consistency in pupils’ experiences and their enjoyment of the curriculum.

p.1

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

The reading curriculum is effective. Teachers and teaching assistants have expert knowledge in order to help pupils learn well. As soon as children enter the Reception Year, they begin to learn phonics. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind are identified quickly. Extra support is given when needed. Pupils take home carefully chosen books that allow them to practise the sounds they are learning. As a result, pupils quickly learn how to 7 December 2021

p.1

2

sound out words and read them accurately. This helps them to become competent readers.

p.2

2

Older pupils say they love reading. They speak confidently about stories their teachers have shared with them. They really like the school library, where there are plenty of books to choose from. They enjoy the ways that they can contribute to the stories that their teachers might read them in the future.

p.2

2

Leaders have focused appropriately on improving the quality of the foundation subjects in the school. However, the impact of the pandemic means there is still a long way to go in some subjects, such as history, geography and art. Curriculum planning in these subjects is very new and not yet established. Therefore, pupils do not always know and remember as much as they could in these subjects.

p.2

2

The mathematics curriculum is sequenced in a logical way. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use a range of strategies to help pupils learn key mathematical knowledge. Pupils can use equipment to support their learning independently. This means for pupils who find mathematics challenging, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), they learn useful ways to support their own learning without adult intervention.

p.2

2

The leadership of SEND is effective. Leaders have a strong overview of the pupils with SEND. They work closely with teachers. Together, they plan, implement and review provision to ensure pupils’ needs are consistently met. Staff receive useful training. Early identification is supported well. For example, children are screened to check for any speech and language needs early in the Reception year.

p.2

2

Pupils’ broader development is enriched in several ways. The school ethos is underpinned by its strong Christian values. Pupils experience a range of spiritual opportunities, including through key events, such as the celebration of Christmas. Pupils enjoy the trips and visits that are used to enhance the curriculum. Pupils talk positively about the clubs that are on offer, such as the gymnastics clubs.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are knowledgeable and diligent. They work closely with other agencies. Leaders know the families at the school exceptionally well. Similarly, they understand the community. Staff are trained appropriately and supported to respond to these challenges.

p.2

Safeguarding

Safer recruitment processes are followed attentively. Appropriate checks are made on staff and recorded on a single central register. A governor is responsible for overseeing safeguarding. They ensure that leaders are held to account. They also check that processes are compliant and carried out properly, so that pupils are safe. 7 December 2021

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. Leaders paused their work to improve the curriculum due to the pandemic. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year’s curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders now need to ensure an effective curriculum is in place for all subjects.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2016.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 7 December 2021

p.3

School details

Inspection number 10211098 Type of school Primary

p.4

School details

Chair of governing body Barbara Stokes and Stephen Meredith

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 December 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 Kingston St Mary is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. There are currently four classes.  The school is voluntary controlled and in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.

p.4

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection of the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with senior and subject leaders, including the headteacher. We met with the special educational needs coordinator, who also works at another school in Somerset. We met with three representatives of the governing body, including one of the co-chairs.  Inspectors did deep dives into three subjects: English, mathematics and history. We met with senior and subject leaders, teachers and pupils. We also visited lessons and 7 December 2021

p.4

5

scrutinised pupils’ work and talked to pupils. We reviewed some subject planning and spoke to leaders about other subjects.  Inspectors analysed 12 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online parents’ survey.  Inspectors analysed school documentation, including leaders’ evaluations and plans for improvement and paperwork relating to the work of the governing body. They scrutinised a range of policies and procedures, including those that relate to the curriculum.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding arrangements by meeting with the designated safeguarding lead, reviewing safer recruitment processes, speaking to staff and to pupils. Inspectors also scrutinised school policies and information on the website. We discussed governance arrangements, records of concern and links to other agencies.

p.5

Inspection team

Matthew Barnes, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Jen Edwards Ofsted Inspector 7 December 2021

p.5

6

regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6