St Katharine's CofE Primary School

St Katharine's CofE Primary School

Address: Savernake Forest, Marlborough, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 3BG Unique reference number (URN): 144454

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have established a culture of belonging that pupils and families value highly. Pupils want to come to school because they do not want to miss out on their learning. Attendance is a top priority. Leaders act swiftly and with determination to address any attendance concerns. They work proactively with families to remove barriers, using tailored support where needed. As a result, attendance is consistently above national averages.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Behaviour across the school is exemplary. Leaders create a calm, positive learning environment, where all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, thrive. Staff consistently reinforce leaders’ high expectations. Pupils demonstrate high levels of self-discipline. Disruption to learning is rare. For pupils who need additional social and emotional support, personalised strategies lead to sustained improvements in engagement and self-regulation over time.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Beyond lessons, pupils play happily and show courtesy towards others. Older pupils model the school’s behaviour expectations of being safe, respectful and considerate to younger pupils. Bullying and discrimination are not tolerated. Systems to manage behaviour are highly effective. Leaders deal with incidents quickly and effectively. As a result, the school is a calm and orderly place to learn.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across the school, most pupils achieve well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Reading is a strength, reflecting the positive culture of reading and the high proportion of pupils who pass the Year 1 phonics screening check. Increasingly, pupils in Year 4 secure their knowledge of multiplication tables and apply this to solve problems. Pupils produce high-quality work and leave the school ready for the next stage of education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders have strengthened the curriculum so that pupils gain knowledge across a range of subjects. For example, in history older pupils can explain the significance of the Windrush generation, while younger pupils describe what life was like for children in Victorian times. However, some checks on pupils’ understanding do not consistently identify gaps or inform future teaching. This means that some pupils do not build knowledge as securely as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that is suitable for all year groups, including the mixed-age classes. It has been refined since the previous inspection. The curriculum now identifies clear end points and builds logically on what has already been taught and learned. Leaders understand the school’s priorities. They have raised expectations, particularly in the teaching of early writing and number. There is now a sharper, more deliberate focus on securing essential skills, such as accurate pencil grip, letter formation and multiplication tables. If pupils fall behind the school’s expectations, they receive timely support to get back on track.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, teachers use a range of effective strategies to teach the curriculum. For example, they simplify learning into small steps, ask thoughtful questions and provide helpful prompts before moving on. In mathematics, for instance, pupils share their thoughts and ideas with talk partners and use practical resources to cement their understanding. Across all year groups, teachers encourage pupils to use subject-specific vocabulary, when answering questions or explaining their learning. Occasionally, however, teaching does not explain subject content in a way that helps pupils to grasp ideas fully or with the precision the school intends. When this happens, it slows down pupils’ progress.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff work in close partnership with parents and carers before children start at school. This helps children settle quickly and build positive relationships with staff. Children quickly learn to follow routines for listening, turn-taking and sitting on the carpet.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff tailor the curriculum to children's starting points. For example, they include problem- solving activities in daily ‘discovery time’, including during the forest school sessions, to develop children’s critical thinking. In the creative area, staff show children how to use resources, such as split pins and hole punches, to strengthen their fine motor skills in preparation for writing.

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Early years Expected standard

Children develop early phonics knowledge to support their reading and writing. Staff use stories to introduce topics and extend vocabulary. For example, children know the meanings of words, such as 'fossil’ and ‘towering’, from events in books. For the most part, staff support children's speech and language well through purposeful interactions.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff encourage curiosity by prompting children to ask questions about their learning on the ‘wonder wall’. They provide timely support, including extra counting and speech and language help, so children keep up with their learning. By the end of Reception Year, most children have the knowledge and skills they need for Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and teachers quickly and accurately identify pupils’ needs, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teachers work closely with parents and carers to agree on support plans. Together, they review progress regularly. This begins in the early years so that any gaps in children’s learning are prioritised from the start.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff make thoughtful changes to lessons and routines so that all pupils can learn independently and successfully alongside their peers. In phonics, for example, the school’s close oversight ensures that any pupils who fall behind receive tailored help and extra practise to enable them to catch up. When more specialised help is needed, leaders involve external experts, such as speech and language therapists, to identify what is most important for each pupil to learn. Staff benefit from ongoing training so that they have the expertise to meet the diverse needs of all pupils.

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Inclusion Expected standard

High expectations and caring relationships mean pupils feel included and achieve well from their starting points. The school makes effective use of additional funding to reduce any barriers to pupils’ learning. It ensures that no pupils miss out on the range of wider experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including trustees, have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They act decisively to secure improvements that benefit all pupils. For example, since the previous inspection, leaders have strengthened the focus on handwriting, letter formation and multiplication tables. This has made a positive difference to pupils’ fluency and confidence in writing and mathematics.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trust leaders and the academy committee provide appropriate challenge and support to school leaders. They hold them to account for progress against agreed key priorities. For example, they check on pupils' attendance and the quality of work in pupils’ books. As a result, the school continues to evolve and improve its practice. Leaders at all levels maintain close oversight of additional funding so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from targeted support and achieve well from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff benefit from clear guidance on routines and expectations. They make full use of the training provided by the trust and work with small schools to share their expertise. Staff value leaders’ commitment to managing workload and promoting wellbeing, which contributes to a collaborative culture, where staff feel supported and motivated.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers share highly positive views about the school. Many describe it as a ‘nurturing’ and ‘inclusive community’, where their children feel safe, happy and supported to achieve their potential.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a broad personal development programme that supports their academic and personal growth. The school promotes its ‘5 R’s’, including relationships, resilience and risk taking, through the ‘Purple Learning’ approach. This encourages pupils to learn from mistakes and persevere when tasks are challenging.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The relationship, sex and health education curriculum equips pupils with the knowledge they need to make informed choices. They understand what makes a healthy relationship and what to expect from a friend. For example, younger pupils link the value of ‘honesty’ to stories, such as ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’. Pupils know how to stay safe online and recognise the risks of talking to strangers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils appreciate differences in the wider world. They understand their rights and responsibilities as global citizens. For example, pupils learn that it is wrong to discriminate against people based on disability, faith or gender. They feel confident to speak out against unfair treatment and bring the fundamental British values to life through their words and actions.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn the importance of physical and mental health through lessons and extra- curricular activities, such as woodland runs and the daily mile. They know how to keep healthy by eating well and drinking water.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a wide range of experiences to develop pupils’ interests and talents. Clubs such as Kapla, dodgeball and art are open to all, and participation is monitored to ensure equal access, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school’s ‘20 experiences’ list includes residential trips, coastal visits and learning to play an instrument. Community events, such as fireworks night, further enrich pupils’ experiences. Pupils in Year 6 proudly take on leadership roles as prefects. Leaders are looking at ways to strengthen pupil voice further.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils describe St. Katharine’s as a close-knit, welcoming school, where everyone gets to know each other. It is a place where pupils feel safe and valued. Many enjoy spending time in the extensive outdoor spaces. Here, staff enrich the curriculum, bring learning to life and help pupils to thrive.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

In this small school, relationships lie at the heart of its work. Staff greet pupils warmly each morning, creating a strong sense of community and belonging. They take time to understand pupils' interests and needs. Pupils report that ‘everyone gets along’. They know who to turn to if they have any worries. The caring culture means that pupils attend regularly, settle quickly and are ready to learn.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school is calm and harmonious. Staff weave the school values of ‘friendship and respect’ throughout the day. These guide pupils successfully in all they do. For example, pupils need very few reminders about how to behave. This starts in the early years and continues throughout the school. Pupils follow the routines and show courtesy towards others. Bullying is extremely uncommon and never tolerated. Pupils enjoy how staff reward their efforts and behaviour with ‘gems’ and ‘hearts’ in the weekly assembly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils embrace the wider opportunities available to them. From singing in the local church to meeting authors at a literature festival, the school strives to make learning engaging and memorable. Pupils enjoy all the school has to offer and take pride in their achievements. Staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities get the right help to succeed alongside their peers. Typically, pupils meet or exceed national expectations by the end of Year 6, preparing them well for their next phase of education.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that checks on pupils’ understanding identify gaps in knowledge and inform future teaching, so that pupils build knowledge securely across the whole

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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School and pupil context

curriculum. • Leaders should ensure that all staff present content in ways that enable pupils to grasp ideas fully and make consistently strong progress.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Excalibur 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), Nick Lewis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Susan Clarke.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the principal, the deputising principal and school staff during the inspection. The lead inspector met with a trustee, the CEO, the director of primary and the primary improvement lead for the trust. Inspectors also met with other trust staff.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is part of the Diocese of Salisbury. It received a section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character in April 2023.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support. National average: 3.5%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 67% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 74% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 77% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 73% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.6% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 11.1% 13.3% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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