St Michael's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Michael’s Church of England Primary School St Michael’s CE Primary School, Apton Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 3SN

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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Outcome

St Michael’s Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school and they show self-assurance that stems from feeling happy and secure. Their consideration for others, combined with the caring staff, fosters a strong sense of community. When new pupils arrive, they are warmly welcomed and treated with kindness. This means they settle well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and show good manners, which shows they consider the needs of others. They behave well and staff provide the appropriate support to reinforce this. During lessons, pupils listen attentively to their teachers and their peers. Where this is appropriate, pupils remain focused and quiet while working. As a result, pupils can learn more effectively and make the most of their learning opportunities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ achievement. They provide pupils with the support and guidance they need to achieve their learning tasks. Pupils work hard and try their best. Over time, this means that pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils can take on extra responsibilities, such as becoming members of the school council or being play ambassadors. These pupils are positive role models. Additionally, pupils have many opportunities to develop their independence and to help others. This allows them to show that they are responsible and trustworthy.

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

The school has a well-structured curriculum for most subjects. This outlines what teachers should teach and when. This allows staff to understand what pupils have previously 14 and 15 January 2025

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learned, enabling them to build on that knowledge. In these subjects, the school has developed approaches to teaching that teachers use consistently and effectively. This means that staff are very clear about how to help pupils to remember new ideas. As a result, pupils’ understanding develops comprehensively. However, in a few subjects, the knowledge, skills, and specific vocabulary that pupils need to learn are less clearly defined. This can lead to teachers, sometimes, repeating learning and not developing pupils’ skills and knowledge as thoroughly as the school intends.

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In most subjects, staff have strong subject knowledge. This helps them explain new concepts clearly to pupils. Teachers check pupils’ knowledge regularly. They quickly address any misconceptions, keeping pupils on the right track. In Reception class, children learn essential knowledge through well-designed tasks. In the early years, staff promote children’s language development. This is important because it is vital for pupils’ academic achievement later. As a result, in most subjects, pupils develop a strong understanding that prepares them well for the next stage.

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The school places a strong emphasis on pupils learning to read. Pupils love to read a wide and interesting variety of poems and books. The Nursery children learn to enjoy stories. They have themes that help grow their vocabulary and spark their interest. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. They learn an appropriate phonics programme. They benefit from a consistent approach that allows all pupils to participate due to the repeated practise they complete. Pupils read books that match their phonics knowledge. By the time they leave school, pupils are confident and fluent readers.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported by skilled staff. In conjunction with parents and carers, the school accurately identifies pupils’ needs. When appropriate, pupils have individual targets. This helps teachers to know each pupil well. They can then provide the right support when a pupil needs it.

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The school has recently simplified its rules, making them easier to understand. Pupils like to recap these and show the actions for them. Pupils behave well at social times. In the playground, for example, pupils play organised games, which keeps them active and allows them to enjoy the competitive elements.

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Pupils are self-confident. This comes from their ability to understand themselves and others. They learn to recognise different feelings, which enables them to respond appropriately. Pupils understand how to manage minor fallouts. However, staff members are always available to provide support if needed. Additionally, pupils learn about our diverse world and celebrate the differences that make us unique. This helps to create a harmonious school environment.

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Leaders and governors share common values and vision. These help to shape the strategic direction of the school. The school has reacted well to the changing demographic of its community. For instance, there is now a stronger emphasis on the development of vocabulary, which meets the identified needs of the pupils it serves. Parents are appreciative of the support the school provides for their children. Staff receive targeted training to help them perform their roles effectively. Staff also feel well supported 14 and 15 January 2025

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with their workload and well-being. This is due to leaders’ consideration of the welfare of the staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not implemented a well-defined progression model that outlines clearly the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn and develop from Nursery to Year 6. As a result, teachers are not always aware of pupils’ prior knowledge and, therefore, sometimes repeat or skip essential content. This limits pupils’ retention and application of knowledge in these subjects. The school must specify the knowledge, skills, and vocabulary that pupils need to know in all subjects, so that teachers can use this to inform their planning to build effectively on what pupils have learned previously.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2019. 14 and 15 January 2025

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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 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 10 and 11 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is an Anglican school in the Diocese of St Albans. The school’s most recent inspection of its religious character, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, took place in 2019. The school’s next section 48 inspection is due within eight years of this date.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders and staff. The inspector also met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair. 14 and 15 January 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Jessie Linsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s 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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