St Mary Roman Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School Melbourn Road, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 7DB

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

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The headteacher of this school is Julia Pearce. This school is part of the Diocese of Westminster 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 (CEO), Pat Murden, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Patrick Leeson.

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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 December 2017. The school received an ungraded inspection under section 8 of the Act on 26 and 27 March 2024. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 8 and 9 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils leave at the end of Year 6 as well rounded and valued members of the community. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education and have exciting plans for their futures.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well. They are inspired by an ambitious and interesting curriculum. Children in early years make an excellent start. Skilled staff support children to explore and follow their interests. For example, they go on bug hunts and make ice cream.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show respect and act with care and consideration towards one another. They behave well. They know and understand the school values. Older pupils speak confidently about issues that are important to them. They listen to the opinions of others. They greatly value the friendships they have formed at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff prioritise pupils’ well-being and readiness to learn. Pupils’ mental and physical health are central to school life. Pupils are confident in expressing how they feel. They know that staff are available to help them if needed. Pupils feel safe, happy and ready to learn. There are many opportunities for pupils to pursue their interests. All pupils learn to play a musical instrument. Pupils contribute meaningfully to school life. Everyone is proud to be a member of the school community.

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

The school builds its curriculum around three core principles: inclusion, independence and inspiration. These ambitions begin in the Nursery. Across the early years, careful curriculum design and skilled teaching ensures that children build very strong foundations for future learning

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

Throughout the school, and in most subjects, staff teach the curriculum effectively. They follow planned content and adapt this appropriately for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In a few wider curriculum subjects, there are some inconsistencies in the effectiveness of teaching. Sometimes, content is not taught in the way that leaders intend. This leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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

Nonetheless, overall, pupils achieve well. Staff routinely check pupils’ learning and identify if any pupils are falling behind. They provide support to help pupils catch up and ensure that they can access the curriculum. These checks also help the school to identify pupils who may have SEND. However, in Year 1 to Year 6, staff do not consistently use this information to recognise when pupils are ready to engage with more demanding curriculum content. As a result, pupils sometimes do not deepen their understanding as well as they could.

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

Pupils enjoy reading. In the early years, children learn to listen carefully to sounds in their environment. Staff take every opportunity to share books and stories. Children re-enact the stories in their play. Staff have the necessary expertise to deliver the school’s chosen phonics scheme. Pupils read books that match the sounds staff have taught them. 8 and 9 July 2025

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Teachers swiftly identify pupils who fall behind and help them to catch up. Pupils learn to read with fluency, expression and understanding. They read widely for pleasure and interest.

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Pupils wear their uniform with pride. They treat others with respect, care and consideration. They enjoy socialising during break and lunchtimes. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is calm and purposeful. Staff know pupils well. They notice if pupils lose focus and respond with timely support.

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The school provides exceptional opportunities for pupils’ personal development. Times for thoughtful reflection are important parts of the school day. The school carefully plans trips and residential visits. These considerably enhance the curriculum and encourage independence. There are many ways for pupils to contribute to school and community life. They can take on leadership roles, carry out charity work, perform, or represent the school at local and national events. An annual careers fair encourages pupils to think about future careers and goals.

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The school’s values and ethos are evident in daily life. Trustees and governors carry out their responsibilities diligently. Staff collaborate with colleagues and schools across the trust to share good practice and learn from one another. Subject leadership is a strength. Despite this, in a few subjects, the school does not have a secure understanding of how well the curriculum is implemented. Staff appreciate the care, time and support provided, both professionally and personally. Everyone is a valued member of the St Mary’s family.

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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 foundation subjects, there are some inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is taught. As a result, pupils’ learning is not as strong as it could be. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well and in the way that leaders intend across the full range of subjects.  In some subjects, staff sometimes do not identify when pupils are ready to extend their learning and engage with more demanding curriculum content. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff accurately assess pupils’ readiness to move on to learning more complex knowledge and content in all of the subjects that they teach. 8 and 9 July 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). 8 and 9 July 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 March 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust.  The school runs a breakfast and an after-school club.  The school uses no alternative provision.  This is a school with a Catholic ethos within the Diocese of Westminster. The school received its most recent inspection of its denominational education and collective worship, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, in March 2025.

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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. 8 and 9 July 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the assistant headteachers. They also met with the CEO and deputy director of education of the trust, the chair of the local governing body (LGB) and other members of the LGB.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and art and design. 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.  The inspectors also discussed the curriculum and provision for pupils with SEND and sampled pupils’ work from other areas of the curriculum.

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 The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and during social times.  The inspectors considered the responses, including free-text responses, to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Oriana Dalton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Hynes Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 July 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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