Schools & FE · Report card

Middleton St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspected 2 Jun 2026 · published 14 Jul 2026 · URN 108002

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Matthew Knox (lead), Jenni Machin, Karen Smith, Sam O'Brien

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

Achievement verified
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour verified
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
Early years verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Expected standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
2 Jun 2026
Inspectors verified
Jenni Machin, Karen Smith, Matthew Knox, Sam O'Brien
Postcode verified
LS10 3SW
Name on report verified
Middleton St Mary's Church of England Voluntary
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
108002

Page 1 of 16

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementExpected
Attendance and behaviourStrong
Curriculum and teachingExpected
Early yearsExpected
InclusionExpected
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+84Very positivemore positive than 76% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseenjoyeffectivevery wellhigh-qualitypositiveexcellentsuccessfullysuccessful

Criticismweaknessesgapsconcernsnot confidentlow

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1649w+85
Leadership256w+86
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve91w+33

Strengths

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Concerns

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Weaknesses in their handwriting prevents them from writing as fluently as they should. p.2

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Leadership & governance43
“Leaders and staff know families very well.” p.2
Curriculum14
“Each subject is well planned.” p.3
Maths10
“Leaders have identified that some children begin Year 1 with gaps in their mathematics and literacy knowledge.” p.3
Teaching & assessment10
“Teachers make suitable changes to ensure that these pupils are able to learn successfully.” p.3
Reading & phonics9
“Pupils read a wide range of books and enjoy reading about new concepts, such as periods of history or different religions.” p.3
Behaviour9
“A positive culture of high expectations for pupils' behaviour is evident everywhere in the school.” p.2
Parents & families8
“Leaders and staff know families very well.” p.2
SEND & inclusion7
“Consequently, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well understood.” p.4

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 2,045; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Fairly hard; Flesch 53, typical 43
Average sentence: 14 words
Next steps: 3; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 7%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 54%Leadership 8%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 3%About the inspection 33%

Full report text

Controlled Primary School

Address: Moor Flatts Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 3SW Unique reference number (URN): 108002

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Everyone is focused on making sure pupils come to school every day. Pupils' attendance is high. Attendance for disadvantaged pupils and for pupils who have other potential barriers to their learning has improved markedly. Leaders take swift and effective action to improve pupils' attendance. Leaders and staff know families very well. This helps them to anticipate emerging attendance issues and to take effective action to avert them. Consequently, pupils, including vulnerable pupils, come to school regularly. Whenever pupils have been absent, staff check in on them and welcome them back to school warmly.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

A positive culture of high expectations for pupils' behaviour is evident everywhere in the school. Pupils expect the highest standards of behaviour from each other. Leaders keep very detailed information about minor behaviour incidents. They act swiftly to stop any bullying behaviours before they become an issue. Leaders also keep abreast of any emerging online issues outside school. They provide pupils with effective support should these occur.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils conduct themselves very well. These excellent attitudes start from the moment that they set foot in the school each day. They enjoy coming together as a whole school in collective worship, and enter and leave the hall impeccably. They work well in groups and are sensible in their active play outside.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils' starting points are very varied. Many pupils experience disadvantage or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some pupils join the school later in key stage 2 than usual. Others have English as an additional language. Pupils typically achieve well from these varied starting points. However, their gains are not fully reflected in information from the key stage 2 national tests for some pupils. Nonetheless, pupils generally learn the knowledge and skills that they need, especially in reading, mathematics and the wider curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities progress well from their starting points in these subjects too.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Sometimes, pupils' handwriting holds back their overall achievement in writing. Weaknesses in their handwriting prevents them from writing as fluently as they should. This is evident in attainment in writing in the key stage 2 national assessments, which has been low historically. However, leaders have made improvements to the curriculum and to the teaching of handwriting. These improvements are having an impact, and handwriting is improving. Pupils' spelling has also improved and pupils are starting to write more adventurous sentences.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders continue to refine and improve the curriculum. Each subject is well planned. The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to return to previously taught content so that they remember it. Leaders have ensured that pupils learn a broad range of subjects. Pupils confidently demonstrate what they know and can do. On some occasions, pupils do not use basic skills correctly, such as number formation, when recording their work in different subjects.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and staff have carefully considered the needs of different pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teachers make suitable changes to ensure that these pupils are able to learn successfully. Teachers regularly work directly with pupils who need the most support.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Reading is taught to a high standard. Teachers model how to read tricky words and sentences. Pupils read a wide range of books and enjoy reading about new concepts, such as periods of history or different religions.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils get the chance to practise the basic skills that they need in English and mathematics. Teachers check that pupils know their number facts or spellings. Pupils are less confident with some elements of their writing. Leaders have recognised this. There is a new handwriting curriculum that teachers are using skilfully to support pupils to improve.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

All leaders are focused on the fundamental importance of the early years. Leaders and governors have invested in the learning environment, resources and staffing to ensure that children have a high-quality experience that helps them to learn and develop well. The curriculum places a high priority on children's physical development and their personal, social and emotional development. Children learn how to use their environment with care and purpose. There are clear routines for children to follow. They concentrate well and focus on what they are doing for long periods.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Staff know children well. They support children to learn how to resolve differences with each other in appropriate ways. Staff promote children's language and communication, especially for children whose speech and language are at an earlier stage of development. They generally develop a knowledge of sounds in reading and also an enjoyment of stories and books.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders have identified that some children begin Year 1 with gaps in their mathematics and literacy knowledge. This is because, sometimes, children do not have enough opportunities to practise using these skills as much as they could. Leaders have made improvements to ensure that staff provide the support and practice in mathematics and literacy that these children need. This is having a positive impact on children's achievement and on their readiness for Year 1.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained and quick to identify pupils who have any barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Leaders work well with other agencies to ensure that pupils who need additional support receive it promptly, and that this support is effective. Leaders ensure that pupils and their parents and carers are consulted when forming any plans for extra support. Consequently, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well understood.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Staff provide high-quality pastoral support to any pupils who are known to social care. This supports them to attend well and enjoy their time at school. Staff build strong relationships with the pupils. This contributes to the school's effective, comprehensive approach to obtaining help for pupils and families if they need it.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders make careful use of additional funding, such as the pupil premium, to address barriers to learning and wellbeing for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders ensure that staff fully understand the teaching strategies to use to remove these barriers so that pupils can learn successfully. Leaders monitor how successful these strategies are by looking at pupils' work and by asking the pupils themselves. This helps leaders to make further refinements if they are needed. Governors challenge leaders to ensure the funding is used well.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a very clear vision for the school. Staff understand and share this vision, and feel supported and enthusiastic to enact it. Leaders know where the school needs to improve further. This accurate insight helps them to identify clear priorities and to act with speed to address them successfully. For instance, reading and behaviour are now strengths of the school as a result of the improvements that leaders have made.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors are highly knowledgeable and skilled. They understand their roles very clearly and carry them out effectively. Governors balance their provision of support and challenge to leaders extremely well. They visit the school and ask pertinent questions. They recognise when there is something not quite working. They insist on rapid action to put it right and check with leaders that it is happening. This work helps leaders in the school to keep on track with their current priorities.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school has developed productive relationships with parents and carers. Parents speak positively about the school's work and about how well the school communicates with them. Parents feel that there is someone to talk and listen to them whenever they need it. Moreover, leaders act as effective advocates for families. Leaders know what is happening in the community and offer support and guidance when it is helpful. This is appreciated by families.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel that leaders support them well. New teachers receive the training and encouragement that they need. Staff feel that their work is valued and that they are given the time needed to do it.

p.4