St Mary's CofE Primary School

St Mary's CofE Primary School

Address: Queen Street, Kingswinford, West Midlands, DY6 7AQ Unique reference number (URN): 148937

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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 Expected standard

Leaders’ work to improve attendance has had a significant impact. From a low starting point several years ago, attendance has risen year-on-year so that it is now in-line with national averages. Similarly, persistent absence has reduced over time. This is because leaders implement effective systems to monitor and intervene when pupils experience barriers to attending. A supportive approach results in positive partnerships.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders' work to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may be disadvantaged is effective. They make appropriate adjustments when required, which results in individuals’ barriers to attendance reducing over time. The attendance of pupils with SEND is now broadly in-line with national averages.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have created an environment that is respectful, calm and orderly. They implement reasonable adjustments and adaptations to support pupils that face challenges with their behaviour. Staff apply the behaviour policy effectively and positively. This means that pupils learn in an environment, where disruption is uncommon. Staff support pupils to concentrate well and work hard.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. They have designed effective systems to track and intervene with behavioural incidents. As a result, cases of bullying and discrimination have reduced over time and are rare.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that meets the needs of pupils at the school. They deploy staff to support pupils in developing important basic reading, writing and mathematics knowledge. Pupils learn the wider curriculum, taught in the afternoon, in mixed-age classes. Pupils access age-appropriate content, which provides them with the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for the next stage. This is because of leaders' deliberate and thoughtful curriculum development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders are starting to tailor the curriculum to pupils’ context and aspirations. Staff make appropriate adaptations. This means that pupils with barriers to learning typically access the curriculum successfully. Where adjustments are needed, staff now implement these effectively, for example addressing gaps in knowledge that older pupils may have. Leaders ensure staff generally have the professional expertise to deliver the curriculum. As a result, teaching is typically effective. Leaders provide swift and effective support, where there is occasional variability. This means that most staff have appropriate teaching and subject knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff ensure pupils have access to appropriate support to catch up where pupils have not secured important basic knowledge. A focus on oral skills provides opportunities for discussion and vocabulary development. As a result, gaps for pupils in important knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics are closing over time.

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Early years Expected standard

Children get off to a positive start in early years. There is a warm, caring environment that supports children to build confidence quickly. Staff ensure children engage in high-quality interactions, songs and rhymes. This helps children to develop vocabulary and language. Sometimes, there are missed opportunities for more frequent interactions, which would further enhance children’s progress.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed an effective curriculum that is well structured but also responds to children’s emerging needs and interests. Those in pre-school gain the foundations to support them in Reception. Leaders have implemented systems to ensure that all adults know how to support individuals. This means children across early years progress well from their starting points across the 7 areas of learning.

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Early years Expected standard

There is a sharp focus on reading. Children enjoy engaging in stories and can recount key narratives, such as 'Little Red Riding Hood'. Staff teach phonics effectively. As a result, children learn to read at the earliest opportunity. They also develop early writing and basic mathematical knowledge. In addition to this, leaders support children to transition seamlessly to the next stage. This ensures they are ready for Year 1.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders forge positive partnerships with parents. This helps children to start successfully and feel comfortable and safe at school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture. They swiftly identify the needs of children on entry to school, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with families to understand the barriers pupils face. As a result, pupils access timely support. Leaders support staff to design targets as part of a graduated response. These are generally specific and measurable. As a result, support is responsive to pupils’ changing needs and barriers reduce over time. Effective professional learning builds staff expertise. This includes work to help pupils manage their emotions. Alongside this, leaders engage with external professionals to refine support strategies and processes. This results in an inclusive culture, where staff understand pupils and the challenges they face.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Intervention is tailored to pupils’ needs. Each pupil is understood as an individual. This means support is well targeted and evaluated using a range of measures. Consequently, pupils engage in support that helps them access learning at an appropriate level.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders implement and evaluate effectively an evidence-informed pupil premium strategy based on a sharp understanding of the barriers that this group typically face. As a result, it is starting to impact experiences and outcomes. Leaders provide effective support to those known or previously known to social care. This results in improved engagement and attendance.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

After the previous inspection, the school underwent a significant time without a substantive headteacher, causing a period of turbulence. However, recently a new leadership team has been established. They are taking the right steps and are prioritising the most important actions. Where leaders focus their attention, the school improves quickly. For example, behaviour, attendance and reading outcomes have all rapidly improved as a result of leaders' work. In some areas, such as writing and mathematics, leaders are taking effective action, but the impact is less established.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, know the school well. They have identified the right priorities and care passionately for the pupils attending. Governors and trustees provide effective support and challenge.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders always act in the best interests of pupils. Inclusion and belonging are a central part of the school’s ethos. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities access effective support. This is because leaders work tirelessly to ensure they fully benefit from the school’s offer.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff access a sustained, coherent professional learning programme. They have opportunities to visit other schools, access external qualifications and work with leaders. This helps them to build expertise over time in key areas. Staff say leaders manage workload and wellbeing effectively. Governors maintain a keen oversight of this. As a result, staff turnover is low.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents trust leaders to continue to improve the school. Leaders have established positive relationships with the community. Everyone works together to support pupils. This helps pupils attend well, thrive and flourish.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal development programme supports the ethos and values of the school. It reflects leaders' clear vision for developing confident, well-rounded and responsible pupils. Leaders have adapted an effective personal, social, health and economic education curriculum to meet the needs of their community. Alongside engaging pupils well with the school’s religious ethos, it develops their sense of belonging to a community. Pupils learn about fundamental British values. They gain a secure understanding of diversity, cultures and different views and beliefs that people have. They demonstrate this in the way they care for each other.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn well an appropriate relationships and sex education and health education programme. For example, they know how to build and maintain healthy relationships and how their bodies will change. They know how to stay safe online and offline.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils generally secure important knowledge and understanding across the personal development programme. Some pupils, in areas such as how to keep safe, develop more detailed knowledge. However, their knowledge in other areas, such as staying healthy, is less extensive.

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Needs attention

Pupils access high-quality pastoral support, which benefits all pupils, particularly those who are vulnerable. Leaders have clear systems to identify and track pupils’ needs so they can provide timely support. Pupils have effective leadership skills. Opportunities for leadership roles, such as school committees, house captains and 'playground pals', enrich pupils’ experiences. They are confident, responsible and work well together. The house system is a key part of the school’s strategy to create belonging.

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Needs attention

Leaders effectively remove barriers to access for the wider curriculum offer. They ensure that no pupil misses out and actively engage pupils in shaping the offer. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Gardening, choir and sports provide opportunities for all pupils to develop interests and new talents. Pupils take part in community events, such as working with ‘Kingswinford in Bloom’.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils have gaps in their basic spelling and handwriting knowledge. In some aspects of mathematics, for example the Year 4 multiplication tables check, pupils achieve well. However, gaps remain in basic number facts for too many pupils. Consequentially, outcomes in writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 are consistently below national averages. This is also the case for disadvantaged pupils.

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Achievement Needs attention

Recent changes to the curriculum structure and teaching have resulted in improvement in areas leaders have prioritised. For example, phonics and end of key stage 2 reading outcomes were in-line with national averages last year. For mathematics and writing, while the curriculum is now suitable, the impact of this is not yet reflected in end of key stage outcomes.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils develop and can demonstrate appropriate subject-specific knowledge across the wider curriculum in subjects, such as history, geography and science. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make appropriate progress from their starting points.

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

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They belong to a community, where everyone cares for each other. This helps them to feel safe. Pupils receive the attention and support they need from adults, who have high aspirations for their futures. Leaders create an environment, where pupils feel valued and confident to ask for help when they need it. As a result, pupils want to be in school and attend well.

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

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable, access effective pastoral support. Because of this, pupils flourish.

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

Over time, pupils have not achieved the outcomes they are capable of. Leaders know this and have taken effective action to improve the teaching and curriculum. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge because these improvements are recent. Where this is the case, they typically participate in extra practise to help them catch up. In early years, children get off to a positive start and quickly learn to read, write and use basic number facts.

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

Leaders place pupils' personal development at the heart of the school's work. The school's approach aligns with its values of love, hope, trust, respect, perseverance and friendship, which pupils display in their daily interactions. Pupils learn about diversity and that difference must be celebrated. They explain how to be responsible citizens in their community. Leaders support disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils to lead through house festivals. Pupils are polite and speak positively about their school, their peers and their teachers. Pupils' behaviour in class and around the school is typically calm and orderly. In class, most pupils try their best and enjoy their learning. Bullying is rare, but when it occurs, pupils know that staff will support them. Pupils are generally well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that pupils develop the key knowledge they need in handwriting, spelling and mathematical facts across the school. Leaders should develop the consistency of the implementation of the school’s curriculum and approach to teaching so that pupils develop detailed knowledge over time. Leaders should continue to develop systems for evaluating support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that support is highly responsive to pupils’ changing needs. Leaders should ensure that opportunities for interactions in the early years are consistently maximised across the school day.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Elements Diocesan Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the interim chief executive officer (CEO), Mrs Victoria Shelley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mr David Reeson.

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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 and other senior leaders during the inspection. They also met with the chair of trustees, local school board, diocese as well as the CEO and a member of the trust improvement team.

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It has not been inspected under section 48 Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools since

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Team inspectors:

Laura Hopley, His Majesty's Inspector Christian Hamilton, 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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School capacity

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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School capacity

The school does not currently use alternative provision.

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School capacity

The school has undergone changes since the last inspection: There is a new headteacher. The school is now an academy. Classes are taught in single year groups in the morning. In the afternoon, some classes are mixed age.

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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.

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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) 70% 75% 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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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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

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 .

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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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