St Mary's Catholic Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Address: Rowden Hill, Chippenham, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 2AH Unique reference number (URN): 149640

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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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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school’s personal development and wellbeing provision is a strength. It is rich, well structured and enhances the curriculum for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Pastoral support is highly effective. It is underpinned by strong relationships and a restorative approach. This ensures pupils feel supported, safe and able to engage positively with school life. The personal, social and health education curriculum is comprehensive. It equips pupils with the knowledge and skills to understand the world around them and prepare for life as citizens of modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities that deepen their understanding of citizenship, including democracy. For instance, they vote for representatives in the 'eco' and 'chaplaincy' councils. They develop leadership skills through roles such as play leaders and sports leaders. Leaders use trips to broaden pupils’ cultural and social awareness to places such as the Houses of Parliament and Hampton Court. These opportunities enrich pupils’ understanding of both their national and local heritage.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Through the school’s wide and rich curriculum, pupils develop empathy, kindness and a strong sense of social responsibility. They understand the importance of helping others and regularly raise funds to support those in need. Pupils also learn extensively about diverse faiths, the arts and sport through well-designed activities, visitors and educational visits. Consequently, pupils make astute connections between different beliefs. For example, they make comparisons between religions and the morals and values they learn about. Relationships, sex, and health education is age-appropriate and equips pupils with a secure understanding of risks to their wellbeing. Disadvantaged pupils are suitably supported to access the full breadth of the programme.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils learn well from the school’s broad curriculum. Because of this, they are ready for their next stage in education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. For example, pupils talk confidently about what they have learned. Pupils talk in depth about their learning because teaching strategies enable them to remember important knowledge and make links over time.

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Achievement Expected standard

Published outcomes at key stage 2 do not reflect the knowledge that current pupils are gaining. This is because the cohort sizes and context vary significantly each year and many pupils have significant barriers to their learning and/or join the school at different points in the school year. The school works effectively to ensure gaps in individual pupils' knowledge and skills are appropriately supported. As such, pupils make gains in their knowledge over time at this school. This ensures that generally, pupils secure a competent knowledge of the basics. However, a minority of pupils struggle to build language or write as fluently or clearly as they should.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders are tenacious in their work to improve attendance. They have implemented clear systems to monitor patterns in pupils' attendance and respond swiftly to concerns. They work closely with families to address barriers to regular attendance and provide targeted support for pupils who are persistently absent. Leaders’ analysis of attendance data is increasingly precise, enabling them to identify trends and intervene earlier. However, they recognise the need to continue strengthening this work so that all pupils benefit from regular attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established clear and high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. These are underpinned by well-defined routines that are understood and upheld by staff and pupils. As a result, pupils typically behave well across the school. They show pride in their learning and in the wider school community. Staff model these expectations consistently, reinforcing a calm, respectful and orderly environment in which pupils feel known, supported and valued. As a result, pupils follow routines confidently. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning, showing particular enthusiasm for the wider curriculum. Pupils describe the school as friendly, warm and supportive, and they report that bullying is rare. When concerns do arise, staff respond promptly and effectively. This ensures that pupils feel safe and that issues are resolved with care and consistency.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have adopted an ambitious and broad curriculum. Pupils build on their prior knowledge across subjects from early years to the end of key stage 2. This enables pupils to learn the information they need to be well prepared for their next stage.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

As part of the school’s work on curriculum design, leaders have trained staff so that they have the subject knowledge that they need to be able to teach the curriculum well. For example, leaders have supported staff to teach reasoning and problem solving within mathematics, enabling pupils to hone these skills. Leaders check how well the curriculum is taught, and they make changes to curriculum design to ensure pupils learn this well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, the curriculum is designed to build pupils’ knowledge of reading, writing and mathematics well. Teachers adapt activities so that those with barriers to their learning, as well as pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can learn from the same curriculum alongside their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, teachers check how well pupils understand what they have learned. For example, they encourage pupils to discuss their thinking before sharing ideas with the class. However, on some occasions, teachers do not correct misconceptions and so pupils make repeated errors. For example, gaps in the writing and language knowledge of a minority of pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are not addressed with sufficient precision. As a result, these pupils do not build their writing and language knowledge incrementally or securely enough in line with the planned targeted support.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders prioritise the early years provision, ensuring that children receive a successful start to their education and a secure foundation for future learning. Across the Nursery to Reception Years, leaders demonstrate a secure grasp of statutory early years foundation stage requirements and ensure these are fully met. Their vision for high-quality education and care is well established. They maintain consistently high expectations for all children.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years curriculum is well structured. It carefully sequences the key knowledge children are expected to learn. Leaders ensure that this curriculum is delivered effectively. Staff engage in high-quality interactions that extend children’s thinking, language and learning. Staff take careful account of children’s starting points when planning learning, enabling them to identify and address gaps in knowledge promptly. Staff make use of appropriate approaches that respond effectively to children’s needs.

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Early years Expected standard

Reading is a priority. Children learn to read as soon as they start school. They learn to segment and blend sounds to read words. Leaders recognise that strengthening the teaching of spoken language is the next important step to ensure children are even better prepared for early reading and writing.

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Early years Expected standard

Children’s personal, social and emotional development is supported well. Staff create an environment in which children feel safe, secure, stimulated and happy, enabling them to thrive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have cultivated an inclusive culture in which pupils’ needs are identified with accuracy and considered carefully when shaping provision. Usually, assessment information is used effectively to understand the needs of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This ensures that support is informed by a secure understanding of each pupil’s circumstances.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders take appropriate steps to help pupils overcome barriers to learning and support wellbeing through targeted support. They monitor pupils’ progress closely and review the impact of interventions with rigour, adjusting provision where necessary. Staff receive relevant training about how to provide support, enabling them to respond consistently to pupils’ needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work constructively with families and external professionals to raise aspirations and plan support. Provision for pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs is effective and helps pupils to regulate and engage positively. Leaders ensure additional funding is used appropriately to support pupils to attend school and be ready to learn.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have ambitious expectations for all pupils to do well. Leaders have successfully enhanced the quality of the curriculum and teaching pupils receive. They are sharply focused on the areas they continue to refine and develop. This includes priorities to further enhance the provision for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with other barriers to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have identified the right actions to further improve the school. These actions are underpinned by reliable evidence. Those responsible for governance keep a focus on these areas. They meet their statutory duties well and hold leaders to account. They ensure the school has a clear vision and that resources are used effectively to help pupils learn well. They provide a healthy balance of support, as well as challenge, to ensure the school continues to develop in the best interests of all pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers are complimentary of the school and the changes the school has made to the curriculum and wider offer.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school works well with the local authority, for example, in relation to supporting pupils with SEND.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff benefit from a professional learning programme that is focused on the school’s development priorities. This helps them to teach the curriculum in the way leaders intend. Staff feel genuine care for their development, workload and wellbeing from leaders across the school and trust.

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

The school’s ethos is rooted in the values of love, forgiveness, respect, resilience, curiosity and stewardship. Pupils develop a deep understanding of these values through their contributions to the school community and beyond. These prepare pupils well to play an active part in society as adults. For example, pupils support disadvantaged communities in other countries by funding animals for farming. Pupils develop resilience and curiosity through their many leadership roles. School councillors organise whole-school events, and reading leaders promote younger pupils’ love of reading.

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

All pupils participate in enrichment activities. They value participating in music concerts including ‘St Mary’s got talent’, as well as theatre visits, dodgeball and debating clubs.

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

Pupils are well prepared for their next steps and progress well from their starting points. Many pupils join the school throughout the year, and some join towards the end of their time at primary school. Staff get to know these pupils and any barriers they face quickly. They put effective support in place to enable pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to build their knowledge in line with the school’s curriculum. However, because of varying cohort sizes and context year-on-year, this is not reflected in the national key stage 2 test results. Pupils call St Mary’s a ‘kind school’. They benefit from warm and trusting relationships with each other and with staff. This helps pupils feel safe and happy. Pupils rise to the high expectations of behaviour that staff have. They are eager to learn and attend well. Rates of attendance are above the national average. Pupils say everyone is treated respectfully and

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

that bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that incidents are addressed quickly if they occur. They have a firm understanding of discrimination and why it is wrong.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that staff consistently teach pupils how to improve their handwriting and develop their spoken language to ensure pupils secure the basics before moving on to more complex work. • Leaders should ensure that teachers check how well pupils understand new learning so that they can identify and address any misconceptions as they arise.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Dunstan Catholic Educational 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), Helen Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Catherine Christie.

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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 headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator and a group of staff. The lead inspector also met with the chair of the board of trustees and the CEO.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with some parents at the start of the school day. They considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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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 Roman Catholic religious character. The school is part of the Diocese of Clifton. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school was carried out in February 2020.

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About this inspection

The current headteacher took up post in September 2023.

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About this inspection

There is a before- and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.

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Team inspectors:

Susan Aykin, His Majesty's Inspector Emma Jelley, Ofsted Inspector

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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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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 school has nursery provision for 3-year-olds.

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What does this mean?

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Lucy Buckland 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.

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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 69% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 77% 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

2024/25 (revised) 69% 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

2023/24 (final) 77% 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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Persistent absence

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

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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.

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Urgent improvement

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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