Aston St Mary's Church of England Aided Primary School

Inspection of Aston St Mary’s Church of England Aided Primary School School Lane, Aston, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG2 7HA

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since December 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 14 and 15 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this warm and nurturing school. They enjoy coming to school to see their friends and complete interesting learning. Pupils have ownership of the school values, as Year 5 pupils choose the ones the school will focus on the following year. They communicate their choices to the rest of the school, and all pupils understand them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils, and pupils have high expectations of each other. Pupils are extremely respectful and listen carefully to each other’s thoughts and ideas. They respect everyone’s similarities and differences. Pupils trust the adults at school and know that they will support them with any issues that they might have. As a result, behaviour around the school is admirable.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well focused in lessons and thrive on discussions, where they clearly present their point. They know that staff want them to do their very best at all times, and they ensure that they do this. Pupils are extremely confident and precise when they articulate the learning that they have been doing. Therefore, they achieve very well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can develop leadership skills in the school, for example in the school council, which responds to pupils’ requests and ideas to make positive changes within the school.

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

The school has an ambitious, well-thought-out curriculum, from the early years onwards. The school ensures that pupils progress through the curriculum, sequentially building their skills and knowledge. Children in the early years gain the knowledge and attitudes that mean they are well prepared for the curriculum in Year 1.

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

Staff have strong subject knowledge, which they present well. They use their knowledge to plan clear sequences of lessons that help pupils to build their knowledge over time. Staff address misconceptions quickly. They skilfully question pupils to ensure they are developing their understanding. Staff check that pupils can remember key knowledge, which they do exceptionally well. Pupils use the subject-specific vocabulary that they learn accurately, across the curriculum. As a result of highly effective teaching, pupils achieve consistently highly.

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

Staff are highly ambitious for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND quickly so that support can be put in place swiftly, as required. Staff are well trained to support pupils’ individual needs and adapt the curriculum so that everyone can access it. Parents and carers, pupils and the school work together to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve as well as they can.

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

Children begin learning to read and to love books as soon as they start in Reception. They explore books in depth and the adventures that the characters have. This enjoyment of text continues as pupils move through the school, and they access the well-resourced, diverse library. Pupils develop their knowledge of phonics quickly due to the expert 14 and 15 January 2025

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teaching they receive. Any pupils who need additional support with reading receive it. The school shares pupils’ learning in phonics with parents so that they can practise with their children at home. Pupils soon become confident and fluent readers.

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Children learn the routines and expectations of the school from the very start in Reception. They know that they need to follow these, which they do. Pupils have exceptionally positive attitudes to their learning. They are clear on the rewards that they can gain and strive to achieve these, for example house points. They are equally as clear about the consequences of their behaviour. Attendance is high. The school provides effective support when families or pupils need help to secure regular attendance.

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Pupils have a wide range of personal development opportunities available to them. These help to develop pupils’ character. They are accepting and respectful individuals who value everyone and what they contribute. Pupils relish the trips they go on to develop their learning in the curriculum. The residential trip is popular, as it develops pupils’ independence and ‘have-a-go’ skills. Pupils learn to stay safe online as well as when crossing the road, and they learn to use their bikes safely. A visit from the local magistrate helped to teach pupils about the law. Some pupils are now considering a job working in law as a future career.

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The school ensures that staff members have a manageable workload. Leaders prioritise staff well-being, ensuring that policies and procedures are effective while not being overly burdensome. Staff are highly supportive of the school. Governors are very well skilled in their roles. They know and fulfil their responsibilities exceptionally well. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school and very supportive of the work that it does.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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.

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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 14 and 15 January 2025

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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). 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  This is a Church of England primary school in the Diocese of St Albans. The school had an inspection of its religious character, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, in June 2023. The next section 48 inspection is due within 8 years.

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 14 and 15 January 2025

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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.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body. The lead inspector also spoke with the school effectiveness adviser from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector also spoke to those responsible for the early years foundation stage, SEND, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Katie Devenport, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Hynes Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

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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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