Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School Skilling Hill Road, Bridport, Dorset DT6 5LA

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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 Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Kate Batorska. The school is part of Initio Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Elizbeth West, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Deborah Fleming. 25–26 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Mary’s Church of England Primary School is a ‘caring community where all can learn and shine’. Pupils are proud of their school and feel well looked after by adults. The school is ambitious for all pupils. Leaders strive to improve outcomes so that pupils of all ages can achieve as well as possible.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for behaviour. Adults help pupils to understand why poor behaviour should not be repeated. The Den effectively supports pupils to improve their behaviour and attendance. Consequently, the school is calm and pupils learn with little disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enthusiastically earn reward points for being ready to learn, respectful and safe. Pupils like to take on responsibilities to help make the school a better place. For example, the well-being ambassadors are ready to help pupils at breaktime and lunchtime. Pupils understand the importance of being kind and respectful towards each other. They have opportunities to reflect on big questions and consider their own and others faith.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. Trips and visits bring the curriculum alive. For example, fossil hunting and visits to the local museum. Musical performances celebrate pupils’ talents. Pupils learn how to stay active, enjoying sport for fun and competition.

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better?

The trust prioritises reading. Children learn phonics as soon as they start school in Reception. All adults receive training and coaching on how to deliver early reading sessions. Most staff use effective strategies to ensure that pupils learn sounds securely. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know so they increase their accuracy and fluency. The school provides additional support for pupils who need help to catch up or keep up with their peers. Pupils are read to regularly, sharing stories to interest and light their imagination. For example, inspired by a story, children in Reception draw and write about their own magical plants. Pupils are keen to recommend books to eachother and this love of reading continues into events such as Reading in the Wood.

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better?

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum. It has been sequenced to ensure that pupils from Reception to Year 6 build their knowledge and understanding. Most subjects have clearly set out the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn. Where the curriculum is delivered as intended pupils are confident about their learning, remembering themes and concepts over time. For example, older pupils can talk about how they use what they have previously learned in music to create their own compositions. However, when the planned curriculum is not followed as closely pupils do not revisit important knowledge or make links between topics covered. Consequently, pupils do not recall their previous learning as well as they might. 25–26 June 2024

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Formal assessments check pupils’ knowledge and understanding. However, opportunities for checking understanding between these assessments are less well established. This means that sometimes there is insufficient adaptation of the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils. For example, pupils who have already grasped concepts may not learn more complex ideas swiftly enough. While others may have gaps in their knowledge that remain unresolved.

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The school accurately identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Adults know pupils well as individuals. The recently opened Hub resource base support pupils effectively with individual bespoke intervention and care plans. They learn the curriculum and engage in extra-curricular activities alongside their peers.

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The personal development curriculum teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe and well. Pupils are confident how to stay safe when online and learn strategies to help their own mental health. For example, they learn through visits to the ‘affirmation station’ where pupils celebrate their strengths. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how their bodies are changing in an age-appropriate way. Pupils are preparing for adult life by learning about values such as democracy and tolerance. From Reception, children learn about how to work with others collaboratively, reinforcing the community feel of the school.

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Leaders are considerate of the workload and well-being of staff. Those responsible for governance have an accurate understanding of the schools’ strengths and areas for development. The trust provides the school with challenge and support to continue to improve the school for the benefit of all pupils.

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Parents are positive about the school. They appreciate the care and support their children receive. The school encourages parents to be part of school life. For example, parents are encouraged through the community garden and reading workshops. The school, families and the wider community work together to provide opportunities to improve the lives of pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The planned curriculum is not always implemented as intended. This means that pupils do not all have the same opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. The trust and the school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented as intended in all subjects.  At times, assessment is not informing future planning and curriculum adaptations. As a result, some pupils are moved on too quickly and others not quickly enough. 25–26 June 2024

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Consequently, pupils don’t learn as well as they might. The trust and the school should make sure that assessment information is used to inform future implementation of the curriculum.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 25–26 June 2024

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 1 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Initio Learning multi-academy trust.  This school is a Church of England School in the Diocese of Salisbury. A Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools was carried out in March 2023. Inspections are normally carried out every five years.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.  There is a breakfast club and after-school club led by the school for pupils who attend the school.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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. 25–26 June 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 discussions with school leaders at all levels. Inspectors also spoke with teaching staff, support staff, trust executive leaders, local committee members and trustees.  Inspectors spoke with a representative of the Diocese of Salisbury.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, including representatives from the pupil leadership group.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, and geography. 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. An inspector also discussed the curriculum in history, music and physical education.

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 The early years provision was considered through the deep dives as well as through additional visits during the inspection.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at lunchtime and breaktimes.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for pupils with SEND and considered the support provided to meet the needs of these pupils. They visited the specialist resource base provision.  Inspectors viewed a range of school documentation, including the minutes of the governance meetings, the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, as well

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as responses to the staff survey and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Sara Berry, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Tom Page Ofsted Inspector 25–26 June 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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