St Peter's Church of England Primary Academy

Inspection of St Peter’s Church of England Primary Academy Main Street, Stonnall, Walsall, West Midlands WS9 9EE

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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

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The head of school of this school is David Castledine. This school is part of St Chad’s Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sarah Cockshott, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Harry Azima. There is also an executive principal, Matthew Seex, who is responsible for this school and one other. 11 and 12 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

St. Peter’s Primary is a school where pupils attend happily. Pupils arrive each day with smiles on their faces and receive a welcoming smile in return from caring adults. Staff place warm and positive relationships with pupils at the heart of all they do. Children settle very quickly into school life when they start in Reception. They quickly learn to trust the adults and each other. Strong relationships help pupils feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School values are well embedded and understood. Pupils understand their mission of demonstrating and living out the values of service, humility, forgiveness, koinonia and justice. Adults model this perfectly for them, and pupils follow their lead very well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are determined that all pupils reach their full potential. Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics because adults support them skilfully and have high expectations. The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities without delay. Teachers adapt lessons and resources so that all pupils can access the same high-quality learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave beautifully. They are routinely polite and well mannered. Pupils recognise the value of supporting each other. Older pupils support the younger children intuitively. The school is a calm and purposeful learning environment.

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

The school wastes no time teaching pupils how to read. Staff teach phonics well. They identify quickly any pupils at risk of falling behind and provide additional support to help them catch up. Books carefully match pupils’ stages in the phonics programme. This helps them develop fluency and confidence in the earlier stages of learning to read. In the early years, staff provide writing opportunities that allow pupils to apply the skills and knowledge they have learned in phonics. This helps children appreciate the link between reading and writing and enables them to write well for their age and stage.

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

The school has placed a high priority on staff’s training and development. For example, in mathematics, staff make sure that pupils revise what they have learned previously before working on more challenging calculations. In other subjects, staff use their expertise to build on what children learn in the early years. This means that when children leave Reception, they are ready for the next stage of their education.

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

Pupils take pride in their work. Books are presented to a high standard. The school expects all pupils to listen well and be ready to contribute to lessons. Where this is done well, it is highly effective. However, it is not yet embedded consistently in all lessons or in all subjects. This limits how well staff identify those pupils who do understand and those who might need some extra support. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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

Pupils behave well throughout the day. This starts in Reception, where children show good levels of independence and already know the importance of following the school 11 and 12 February 2025

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rules. Staff interact expertly with children to help promote curiosity and enhance their learning. Pupils across the school engage well with learning. Older pupils understand the importance of good behaviour. They know the school is helping them to be active and responsible adults of the future.

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The way the school develops pupils’ character is exemplary. Pupils are beautifully respectful of one another. An ethos of care and compassion permeates everything that pupils say and do. It helps the school be the inclusive and welcoming place it is. The school’s approach to developing the whole child is also praiseworthy. Pupils understand that they can improve and add value to their community. They know they can make a palpable difference, and they do. For instance, they enjoy performing for residents in the local nursing home, making the village cleaner by picking litter and encouraging wildlife through joint projects. The school is also creating a peace garden for all community members to enjoy. Pupils have thought carefully about how this can be a central place for residents to unite and support each other, especially after a period of sadness and loss.

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The school is led very well. Its leaders carry out their work with integrity, putting pupils’ best interests at the heart of every decision. The local academy committee knows the school and the community well, enabling them to add value. The trust is also pivotal in supporting this school on its journey of continued success. Most parents and carers are overwhelmingly appreciative of the education, care and guidance their children receive. All work harmoniously in the best interests of children as ‘One family under God’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s approach to engaging pupils at all points of learning is not yet fully embedded. This means that not all staff are able to assess accurately pupils’ learning and address any key gaps. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should continue to ensure that its approaches to ongoing assessment and its commitment to ensuring all pupils engage fully with learning are embedded effectively.

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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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Principal Matthew Seex (Executive principal) David Castledine (Head of school) Website www.stpetersacademystonnall.com

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 May 2019, 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 church of England school is in the Diocese of Lichfield. The last section 48 inspection took place in 2024. Its next inspection will be in the academic year 2028/2029.

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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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of 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 help meetings with the executive principal, head of school and other senior leaders.  Inspectors 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, 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 puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector spoke with the CEO of the trust, two trustees and members of the

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combined local academy committee.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, at different times of the day and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as informally in lessons and around school.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors talked with pupils and staff to gather information about school life. In addition, they took account of responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff, pupils and parents.

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Inspection team

Keri Baylis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Su Plant His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 February 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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