St Matthew's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Matthew’s CofE Primary School Duddeston Manor Road, Nechells, Birmingham, West Midlands B7 4JR

p.1

Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

p.1

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

p.1

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as 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 February 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 21 and 22 January 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

St. Matthew’s Primary is a high-performing school. Pupils are happy and proud to attend such a special place. The school provides a warm welcome and a safe haven, which helps pupils settle quickly. Pupils know they will be well cared for in school, and they are. They arrive every day happily, ready to be the best version of themselves in all respects.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for all pupils. The pupils understand the value and power of a good education. Pupils want to learn and want others to learn too. The vast majority of pupils achieve the school’s ambitions for them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

As soon as children start school, they learn there are high expectations for how they are expected to behave. Pupils rise to these expectations. Their commitment to following the school’s two simple rules helps the school to be a calm learning environment.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ambition for its pupils extends well beyond the classroom. Many carefully- thought-out activities, experiences and opportunities are available for pupils to engage with. Pupils make the most of these opportunities. They help them to develop into confident and articulate pupils who can positively contribute to their community and the wider world in the future.

p.2

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

Pupils leave St. Matthew’s achieving very high standards in reading, writing and mathematics. They enter school with low starting points, but leave having made exceptional progress through the curriculum in these core subjects. Reading is at the heart of everything the school does. The school is awash with high-quality texts that pupils love reading and discussing. Children start to learn how to read straight away. The vast majority of pupils keep up with the expectations of the programme. Most pupils who fall behind are supported to catch up quickly. Pupils can apply their phonics knowledge to read unknown words. As pupils progress through school, they apply this knowledge to writing and produce a very high standard of work.

p.2

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

Other curriculum subjects are very ambitious. For most pupils, this supports them in gaining a deep knowledge across and within subjects. However, the impact is less positive for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some pupils with SEND do not benefit from the same high-quality education as their peers. This is particularly true for children with SEND in the early years who do not access all areas of learning. These children are not routinely given the opportunity to learn and develop in an environment that enables them to benefit from high-quality teaching and support.

p.2

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

Most pupils get off to a positive start in the early years. The highly vibrant environment, inside and out, invites curiosity and engages children with learning. Pupils quickly learn the school’s high expectations of how to behave. They rise to these with a level of maturity and understanding that is impressive for their age. 21 and 22 January 2025

p.2

3

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons and equally impressive at all times of the day. Pupils are not prevented from learning because attitudes to learning are exceptional. Pupils understand that education is the key to future success. They want to be successful and relish every learning opportunity available to them. Pupils want to be in school and attend regularly. Pupils receive unwavering support from the school, which positively influences their self-esteem. They are taught that there is no limit to what they can achieve.

p.3

3

The wider opportunities available to pupils are a praiseworthy aspect of the school’s work. Pupils get the opportunity to perform, present and debate. Pupils speak clearly, confidently and articulately. This is testament to the high priority the school places on this vital aspect of its work. Pupils engage in experiences that allow them to learn about what their future might look like. They talk about ‘wearing the CAP’. This helps them remember the simple values they aspire to live out every day: courage, attainment and pride. Respect is the bedrock of the school. Staff respect pupils. Pupils respect staff and each other in return. Differences are recognised and celebrated. The school’s approach to developing pupils into confident, self-assured and self-believing young adults of the future is awe-inspiring.

p.3

3

The school is led well. It knows its pupils and the community it serves very well. Pupils, parents and carers are proud to call themselves part of the St. Matthew’s family. Staff are overwhelmingly complimentary of the support and guidance they receive. All work harmoniously and with a dedication to positively influence the future of all who attend this school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that all staff accurately identify and address the needs of some pupils with SEND. Some of these pupils do not access the curriculum as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills to provide the support that each pupil with SEND needs to access the curriculum.

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.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 21 and 22 January 2025

p.3

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). 21 and 22 January 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 February 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 The school provides a before-school club for pupils.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  This Church of England school is in the Diocese of Birmingham. The last section 48 inspection took place in April 2024. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the academic year 2028/2029.

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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 21 and 22 January 2025

p.5

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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history 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.  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

p.6

6

safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector spoke with four governors, including the chair of the governing body.  The lead inspector spoke on the telephone with a representative from the local authority and the Diocese.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of 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.

p.6

Inspection team

Keri Baylis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Darren Lennon Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

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