St George's CofE Primary Academy

St George's CofE Primary Academy

Address: Admiralty Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 3RX Unique reference number (URN): 139954

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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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Early years Strong standard

Early years provision is highly effective and well aligned with the expectations of the school's ambitious Reception Year curriculum. Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of children’s needs and shape a coherent curriculum across all areas of learning. Provision is carefully sequenced and implemented so that children gain secure foundations in communication, reading, writing and mathematics. For example, consistent phonics teaching and purposeful opportunities to practise segmenting, blending and early writing embed these foundations very effectively.

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Early years Strong standard

Inclusive practice is very evident. Highly-individualised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities reduces barriers to learning and promotes participation and wellbeing. Care practices, including personal care routines, are thoughtfully designed and effectively safeguard children.

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Early years Strong standard

Daily routines are well established, enabling children to settle quickly, engage in learning and move confidently between adult-led and independent activities. This supports the development of children's independence and resilience effectively. Staff use ongoing checks to adapt children's learning precisely. Staff interactions are purposeful. They ensure that children foster a love of language and extend their thinking. Staff provide meaningful opportunities for children to apply learning in play. The indoor and outdoor learning spaces are thoughtfully designed to promote knowledge across all areas of the early years curriculum. Children typically achieve above national expectations at the end of Reception Year. As a result, children develop confidence, collaborate well and are increasingly ready for the next stage of learning in Year 1.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupil attainment at the end of key stage 2 is broadly in line with national averages in reading, writing and English grammar, punctuation and spelling. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically achieve well from their starting points. However, attainment in mathematics and at the higher standard remains below national averages. This is particularly the case for the high number of pupils who join the school towards the end of key stage 2, with gaps in their knowledge. They do not benefit from the school's work to successfully secure the youngest children's reading, writing and mathematical knowledge. At times, variability in the use of teacher checks means that learning is not consistently matched to pupils’ understanding. This inhibits pupils from deepening their knowledge in a few subject areas. Nevertheless, all pupils make at least expected progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next stage of

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders prioritise pupils' attendance appropriately. They accurately analyse patterns of attendance across different groups, including pupils eligible for additional funding or with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Overall attendance is in line with national averages and shows improvement over the past two years, reflecting the impact of leaders’ actions to promote regular attendance. Leaders know the reasons for pupils' absences and implement useful support and challenge. However, a small, but notable, minority of pupils are too often absent. This includes a few pupils who are disadvantaged. Leaders know that term-time holidays remain too frequent.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established a calm, orderly and inclusive environment where pupils are respectful. Positive relationships between pupils and staff support a culture in which pupils feel safe and confident seeking help. Behaviour routines are well established, with pupils typically responding promptly to expectations. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They listen carefully, engage with tasks and cooperate well. Staff use consistent approaches, including structured responses and reflection, which support pupils to behave and understand consequences. Inclusive approaches enable pupils with additional needs to access education and participate successfully. There have been no suspensions or permanent exclusions for an extended period.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have established a coherently designed curriculum that is ambitious in breadth and sequenced to build pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. Reading is prioritised effectively, with a consistent approach to teaching phonics across the school. Teacher's careful checks are used to match reading materials closely to pupils’ phonics knowledge. This ensures that pupils develop secure early reading skills and read with increasing fluency and confidence. This sharp focus on the development of pupils' early reading knowledge has extended to their writing and mathematics. As a result, pupils demonstrate greater security in their handwriting and mathematical fluency.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is typically clear, inclusive and helps pupils to secure new and important knowledge to progress through all of the school's curriculum subjects. In a few areas, the choice of learning activity limits the depth of pupils' learning. When teachers use information from their checks to carefully plan pupils' learning, pupils secure knowledge and confidence well. For example, when 'rainbow challenges' in the class and outdoor provision accurately match what pupils know, can do and need to learn next. Regular opportunities to recap and revise important curriculum concepts are helping pupils to make connections between these concepts and further secure their knowledge.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established a calm and orderly culture that promotes pupils' positive relationships, safety and belonging. Provisions such as the breakfast offer and structured activities help pupils from different age groups interact respectfully and support those who may be vulnerable to engage well. Leaders identify pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities early and accurately. This work begins early to ensure that pupils' needs are understood from the outset. For example, leaders work collaboratively with parents and carers and feeder nurseries to secure appropriate levels of support, and when necessary, education, health and care plans. Partnerships with parents and external professionals are effective and help ensure pupils with a range of needs learn the curriculum and enjoy the full range of wider opportunities available.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils' individual support plans are typically well written and implemented effectively by staff. Consistent routines, regular reviews of pupils' plans and the use of tailored strategies to reduce barriers are successful. The school's inclusive provision typically reduces barriers to learning and wellbeing. For example, the purposeful and targeted use of additional funding for pupils who are disadvantaged ensures that they are included, learn, participate and contribute to school life.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance have a well-informed understanding of the school’s context. They communicate a clear vision centred on inclusion, belonging and pupils’ wellbeing. Staff share and implement this vision well. Positive engagement with parents and the wider community reflects this. Families express confidence in leaders. They recognise how well the school's curriculum, teaching, and wider personal development opportunities meet individual needs, including those of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governance is effective. The board of trustees and local governors understand and appropriately carry out their statutory responsibilities. They provide helpful support and challenge that lead to informed decision-making and demonstrable impact for the school. Leaders are ambitious and committed to continually improving the standard of education pupils receive. They identify the correct priorities and work with the trust and external professionals to make the necessary changes. Pupils' best interests are always placed at the centre of these thorough plans and appropriate actions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing through considered workload reduction and supportive practices. This contributes to high morale and professional commitment among staff. The staff professional learning programme is coherent and valued. For example, supporting the ongoing development and impact of the school's subject leaders' work. Staff engage well in these opportunities and increasingly contribute to colleagues' professional development in other schools across the trust.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a coherent and inclusive personal development programme that is carefully designed to extend pupils’ experiences. Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities, including leadership roles, cultural visits and local partnerships, which contribute positively to their confidence, teamwork and sense of responsibility. Experiences, such as being a play leader, looking after the school farm animals, and representing the school at sporting events, are not tokenistic. Leaders ensure that meaningful opportunities are woven through pupils' time at the school. Pupils remember what they have learned and increasingly apply this learning to their own lives.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders check that pupils access the school's enrichment offer equally. They tailor activities carefully to meet pupils' needs and interests. For example, the introduction of a martial arts club. Pupils who are eligible for additional funding are actively encouraged to participate in lunchtime and after-school activities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal, social and health education curriculum and relationships and sex education and health education programme are thoughtfully mapped out. Pupils learn about different types of relationships and age-appropriate health and sex education. Pupils are rightly confident that staff will help to answer questions or when worries are shared.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school values of LIGHTS (love, inclusion, guidance, hope, trust, and service) support pupils in understanding diversity and developing respect. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a range of contexts, such as road, water and online safety. Pupils speak positively about belonging and demonstrate secure knowledge of relationships, consent and equality. While respectful attitudes are evident in practice, pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values is not as consistently developed or secure.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

As pupils move through the school, they learn about people's jobs in their local area. This work begins in the early years. The 'inspire me' and 'widening horizons' projects help prepare pupils for their next steps through careers exposure and life-skills opportunities.

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

Pupils at St George’s are part of a welcoming and inclusive community. Safety, care and positive working relationships with staff and their peers shape everyday experiences. Pupils feel secure because staff are vigilant and respond quickly to concerns. They ensure that families receive timely support when needed. This helps pupils to feel confident and ready to learn. Pupils arrive happily and enjoy calm starts to the day. They play together well and feel a sense of belonging. Pupils behave well, follow routines and treat one another with respect. Support is available to help pupils recognise and manage their feelings. Staff create a calm and cooperative school where bullying is rare.

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

In lessons, pupils are typically engaged and develop secure curriculum knowledge and skills. This is particularly evident in the early years, where pupils get off to a flying start. Consistent teaching approaches help them develop their early reading, writing, mathematical and social knowledge and skills with confidence. Across the wider curriculum, pupils gain a broad range of knowledge. Appropriate support helps most pupils achieve expected outcomes by the end of Year 6.

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

Pupils enjoy a wide range of after-school clubs and enrichment opportunities. These include cultural experiences, such as organising an art exhibition in a local gallery. Pupils enjoy practical activities like looking after the school's chicken and other small animals. These opportunities help to build pupils' confidence, teamwork and responsibility. They take pride in contributing to the community, for example, representing the school at the 'field gun' club and singing at the local elderly residential home. The school’s inclusive ethos ensures that pupils from different backgrounds feel valued and develop respect for diversity. Pupils grow into responsible and respectful individuals. They benefit from a nurturing environment where they feel they belong and are supported to thrive socially and emotionally.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently use assessment information to precisely match learning to pupils’ needs and abilities, drawing on the growing expertise of subject leaders to further refine support, challenge and provision across the curriculum. Leaders should further strengthen their work with parents and carers by developing consistent, supportive communication and early-help approaches that continue to build trust, deepen parents’ understanding of the importance of regular attendance and address barriers to attendance effectively. Leaders should strengthen pupils’ personal development by ensuring that pupils develop a secure and detailed understanding of fundamental British values, including how these apply in everyday school life and the wider community.

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About this inspection

This school is part of St Christopher's CofE (Primary) Multi-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), Phil Banks, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Bailey.

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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 HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, CEO, regional director of education, trustees and governors, including the chairs of the trust and local governing boards, staff, pupils, parents and carers during the inspection.

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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 currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Christian religious character. It is in the Diocese of Exeter. Its last section 48 inspection was on 10 June 2025.

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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 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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average

2024/25 (final) 60% 62% 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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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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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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gap

‘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

2024/25 (3 term) 5.5% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 6.0% 5.5% 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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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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