St Mary and St Giles Church of England School

Inspection of St Mary and St Giles Church of England School King George Crescent, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK11 1EF

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Adam Palmer. This school is part of Inspiring Futures Through Learning, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sarah Bennett, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Marilyn Hubbard. 27 and 28 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this inclusive school. The school has designed an ambitious curriculum that allows pupils to achieve increasingly well. Teachers adapt their teaching to ensure that all pupils can access the curriculum, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In lessons, pupils are enthusiastic about their learning, and instances of low-level behaviour are very rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets and achieves high expectations for behaviour. Staff explain these expectations clearly to pupils, and staff model the behaviour they expect to see. As a result, pupils understand how to behave well so that they can learn and play as part of a happy and respectful school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe here. Bullying is very rare. Pupils know that if they have concerns about feeling safe, they can tell an adult. Pupils know that adults will take their concerns seriously and act upon them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of activities and clubs at lunchtimes and after school. The school checks carefully that all pupils, especially those with SEND and those eligible for the pupil premium, benefit from these opportunities.

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better?

More recent improvements are having a significant impact on pupils’ achievement and on the welfare of all pupils, including those with SEND and other disadvantaged pupils. Published outcomes for 2023 do not reflect the progress that current pupils now make through the curriculum. This is because pupils who have just left the school were not at the school long enough to benefit fully from effective improvements to the curriculum and teaching made more recently.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. Staff have carefully identified what they want pupils to learn in all subjects, from early years onwards. High-quality training for staff ensures that they teach the curriculum effectively. As a result, pupils’ learning is of a good quality, and they are achieving well. Staff check systematically how well pupils are learning the curriculum so that any gaps in learning that arise are quickly addressed. In most subjects, pupils remember what they have learned over time well. In some subjects, however, this is not as secure. When this is the case, it prevents pupils from making links with new knowledge as strongly as they could.

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better?

The teaching of early reading is effective, including in Nursery. All pupils learn how to become fluent readers. Leaders prioritise additional support for pupils who are new to the school, as well as those pupils who struggle with reading. As a result, pupils’ make good progress in reading. Staff identify pupils with SEND accurately, including for children in Nursery. The school trains and supports staff to meet the needs of pupils with SEND effectively. This means that staff put in place appropriate provision and support so that pupils with SEND achieve as well as other pupils. 27 and 28 February 2024

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Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. They settle quickly in lessons and are engaged actively in their learning. In the rare instances when a pupil’s behaviour does not meet the school’s high expectations, adults take the right action. The school teaches pupils and parents about the importance of regular attendance to make sure that pupils attend well. As a result, attendance is strong and improving.

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Staff and pupils at the school refer frequently to their shared values of responsibility, love, thankfulness, wisdom and kindness. The school uses these values to teach pupils to be responsible and respectful citizens. Staff praise pupils for doing the right thing and use a clear rewards system to recognise pupils publicly for upholding the school’s values.

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There is a strong culture of mutual respect between all members of the school community. Pupils are taught the importance of embracing and celebrating difference. Reading books in classrooms and displays around the school are carefully chosen to emphasise the importance of diversity. As a result, the school is a welcoming and respectful place to play and learn.

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School and trust leaders at every level are resolute in their determination to make this school as effective as possible in educating and caring for its pupils, including those with SEND and other disadvantaged pupils. They have an accurate view of the school and identify the right priorities to make continuous improvements to the school. As a result of recent improvements, all pupils now achieve well in a safe, happy and inclusive school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils are not always able to remember long term the content they have learned. This means that they do not always build links between prior learning and new learning. The school should ensure that pupils are taught strategies to retain knowledge over time and that the curriculum is designed to support this effectively.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 27 and 28 February 2024

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

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 27 and 28 February 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school opened in March 2021.  The school is based on two sites. The inspection took place across both sites.  The school is part of Inspiring Futures Through Learning.  This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Oxford. Its last section 48 inspection took place in October 2021. One pupil attends alternative provision with Northampton Saints Foundation.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 27 and 28 February 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, the chief executive officer, trust leaders and governors. Inspectors spoke with a representative from the Diocese of Oxford. Inspectors also met with a range of teaching and support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, history and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Paul Hemmings, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Elkington Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 February 2024

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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.

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