St Mary's & St Peter's Church School

Inspection of St Mary’s & St Peter’s Church School Copse Lane, Ilton, Ilminster, Somerset TA19 9EX

p.1

Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

p.1

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

p.1

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

p.1

The executive headteacher of this school is Connel Boyle. This school is part of The Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Nikki Edwards and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Oliver Cofler. 24 and 25 September 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

‘Together we flourish’ is at the heart of this inclusive and welcoming school. Adults have high expectations of all pupils. Pupils live up to these. They demonstrate the school’s values of ‘courage, kindness and respect’. As a result, there is a happy, calm and purposeful learning environment.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

As soon as children start in Reception Year, they build positive relationships with adults. Pupils are polite, kind and caring. They respond enthusiastically to school routines. Pupils listen attentively to each other and adults. Older pupils look after the younger children during social times. They enjoy playing with the wide range of equipment, including the coconut shy and the hobby horses.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Adults know the pupils well. Pupils feel safe and listened to by adults. This helps them have the confidence to share any worries or concerns. Pupils know that if they put their names into the ‘worry box’, an adult will help them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the enrichment opportunities the school provides. This includes sports club, fun club, residentials and visits to the museum. Pupils talk with pride about their roles and responsibilities such as head gardener and playtime leaders. This helps pupils to understand how to be responsible citizens.

p.2

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils. The curriculum enables pupils to build their knowledge progressively as they move through the school. Some curriculum subjects are more developed than others. Supported by the trust, the school understands what it does well and what it needs to improve.

p.2

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

The mathematics curriculum identifies precisely what the school wants pupils to learn and by when. Opportunities to develop number fluency are built into the curriculum design. This supports pupils to tackle more complex concepts. In Reception Year, children learn to count objects. Older pupils apply their knowledge of number when calculating negative numbers. Support from adults and adaptations to work mean that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities progress well through the curriculum.

p.2

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

In some wider curriculum subjects, pupils do not build knowledge sequentially. Assessment is not used effectively to check what pupils have learned. As a result, there are gaps in what pupils know and remember. For example, in art and design, pupils struggle to recall artists they have studied and the techniques they use.

p.2

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

Pupils know that reading is the key to success. As soon as children start in Reception Year, there is a strong focus on developing communication and language skills. This supports children’s speech and vocabulary. Children learn phonics from day one. Staff have the expertise they need to teach phonics effectively. Pupils who need extra support are identified at an early stage. Swift intervention helps them to catch up. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. As a result, they grow in confidence and see 24 and 25 September 2024

p.2

3

themselves as a reader. Older pupils enjoy reading a wide range of books by different authors. The school’s focus on developing a love of reading is starting to have a positive impact. Pupils are enthusiastic about the raffle tickets they receive when they read at home.

p.3

3

The school is relentless in its drive to improve attendance. It works closely with families and external agencies to ensure attendance remains a priority. This has had a positive impact on some pupils and attendance continues to improve.

p.3

3

Behaviour of pupils is a strength. They ‘go for gold’ daily. They are proud when adults spot them following the school rules. Pupils know that adults care about them. One pupil said, ‘You don’t just learn here, they care.’ Pupils know that it is important to be ready, respectful and safe. This means they can learn without interruption.

p.3

3

Pupils know that respect is important. They learn about other cultures and faiths through assemblies and the curriculum. However, their knowledge of world cultures and faiths is still developing. As a result, pupils have a limited understanding of multicultural Britain.

p.3

3

The personal, social and health education curriculum supports pupils to learn how to keep mentally and physically well. They know that one impacts the other. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. Older pupils talk confidently about personal space and the significance of permission. Pupils of all ages learn how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.

p.3

3

Local governors and trustees share leaders’ ambition for all pupils. They frequently check on the teaching and learning of the curriculum to ensure pupils receive a good quality of education.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some wider curriculum subjects, some pupils do not build knowledge as well as they do in other subjects. Assessment information is not used effectively to identify gaps in what pupils know and remember. The trust needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively across all subjects to inform future curriculum design so that pupils build knowledge as well as they do in more established subjects.  Pupils do not have sufficient understanding of world faiths and different cultures. Consequently, they are not as well prepared as they need to be for some aspects of multicultural Britain. The trust must ensure that pupils have the opportunities to learn about diversity including a range of different cultures, so they are better prepared for life in modern Britain. 24 and 25 September 2024

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 24 and 25 September 2024

p.4

School details

Headteacher Connel Boyle (Executive Headteacher)

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The executive headteacher has been in post since September 2021.  The school is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The last section 48 inspection took place in May 2023, when the school was judged to be good.  St Mary’s and St Peter’s Church School converted to be an academy in March 2020. When its predecessor school, St Mary’s and St Peter’s Church of England School was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form 24 and 25 September 2024

p.5

6

provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.6

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history.  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.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects, including geography and art and design.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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

p.6

6

safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, they spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Wendy D’Arcy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Katharine Anstey Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

p.6

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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

p.7

7

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

p.7