St Marys Catholic Primary School

St Marys Catholic Primary School

Address: Chapel Green, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 2LB Unique reference number (URN): 114566

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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

Leaders provide strong strategic direction for early years and ensure that every aspect of provision reflects high expectations for children’s learning, development and wellbeing. They have designed an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that develops knowledge, vocabulary and independence in a logical order. Children engage enthusiastically in purposeful learning experiences. Writing provision is a particular strength, helping children to write increasingly sophisticated sentences using excellent letter formation. Carefully planned continuous provision promotes curiosity through rich discussions, exploration and problem-solving. Staff use skilful questioning and interactions to deepen understanding. Outdoor learning experiences strengthen resilience, independence and responsibility as children safely use tools and develop practical skills in the school's woodlands.

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Early years Strong standard

Teaching consistently develops children’s communication, language and mathematical understanding. Staff model language precisely, extend vocabulary and adapt support so that children explain their thinking with increasing confidence. Carefully targeted provision, including high-quality phonics teaching, enables children to build secure foundational knowledge from their individual starting points. Inclusive practice ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well and flourish from the start. Warm relationships and well-established routines promote children’s confidence and positive attitudes to learning. As a result, children are strongly prepared for their transition into key stage 1.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children secure excellent foundational knowledge in the highly effective early years provision, giving them a strong start to their education and preparing them well for key stage 1. Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective support, enabling them to thrive and make positive progress from their individual starting points.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve outcomes that are broadly in line with national averages in reading and writing. However, attainment in mathematics remains lower than leaders expect. Leaders have identified this accurately and are implementing focused actions to strengthen pupils’ mathematical understanding and improve outcomes. Leaders also recognise the need to develop pupils’ spelling and handwriting further so that achievement continues to rise. Across the wider curriculum, pupils know and remember important knowledge effectively, apply their learning with increasing confidence and leave the school well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have strengthened attendance across the school. They analyse attendance information effectively, identify emerging patterns well and implement timely and targeted support. As a result, overall attendance has improved and is now broadly in line with national figures. Although attendance for disadvantaged pupils remains below that of other pupils, leaders have secured notable reductions in persistent absence through effective intervention and partnership with families. Leaders skilfully identify and remove barriers to regular attendance, ensuring that support meets pupils’ individual needs.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Behaviour across the school is positive. Pupils conduct themselves well and contribute to a calm, orderly environment. Warm, supportive relationships between staff and pupils underpin a culture of respect and belonging. Pupils generally show enthusiasm for learning. However, when learning activities do not reflect the ambition of the curriculum, some pupils can lose concentration and become distracted. Teachers' expectations for focussed learning behaviour are occasionally not high enough. Leaders provide impressive pastoral care that enables pupils facing emotional challenges to engage successfully with school life. Pupils feel safe and happy because leaders respond promptly and effectively to any concerns. They are not worried about bullying or discrimination, as the school swiftly addresses any rare worries.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate and precise overview of curriculum and teaching. They recognise that teachers typically deliver a well ‑ designed curriculum with clarity and purpose. Teachers explain new knowledge precisely and revisit prior learning so pupils strengthen their understanding over time. Pupils generally engage positively with learning and use subject ‑ specific vocabulary confidently when sharing their knowledge. Teachers usually identify misconceptions quickly and adapt teaching so pupils can access learning across all subjects. Staff generally support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively, enabling them to participate fully and develop independence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that training opportunities equip staff well to continually develop their expertise and subject knowledge. Writing is a school priority and starts impressively in early years, where children acquire strong foundations and produce high-quality writing. Reading and phonics provision is very effective across the school, helping pupils to become fluent and confident readers. Leaders acknowledge that there is more work to do to ensure that consistently high-quality teaching helps all pupils to achieve well with mathematics, handwriting and spelling as they move through the school. While provision is generally inclusive and effective, lesson tasks are not always designed precisely enough to help all pupils achieve the intended learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and governors promote an inclusive culture where pupils feel valued and supported. Staff identify pupils' needs promptly and work effectively with families and external agencies to provide appropriate support. As a result, pupils typically access learning successfully and participate fully in school life. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is generally effective. Leaders identify needs accurately and ensure that staff understand how to adapt teaching and provide appropriate interventions. Teachers use information about pupils' needs to remove barriers to learning, often enabling pupils with SEND to make positive progress from their individual starting points. Staff monitor pupils' progress carefully and adjust support when required. In most lessons, pupils benefit from an inclusive environment that enables them to participate confidently, develop well and succeed alongside their peers. At times, support needs refining

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Inclusion Expected standard

to ensure that learning activities help pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and governors make effective choices with pupil premium funding to help disadvantaged pupils to overcome challenges to learning and participation. They target resources appropriately to improve attendance, strengthen learning and widen pupils' access to enrichment opportunities. As a result, disadvantaged pupils engage well with school life and achieve increasingly positive outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The acting leadership team took temporary charge at the start of the summer term. In this time, leaders have provided strategic, thoughtful and effective leadership. They have supported staff through this period of change with compassion and dedication. As a result, staff feel well supported. Leaders are dedicated to maintaining high standards of education and care while ensuring that workload and wellbeing are well managed. Leaders' oversight of the curriculum is precise and accurate. They recognise the school's strengths, such as the high-quality provision in early years, and correctly focus on areas to improve. Leaders rightly recognise the need to re-double their efforts to raise the attendance of disadvantaged pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors make every decision with pupils' best interests at heart. This inclusive ethos creates a rich sense of belonging in this joyful community. Governors bring very effective support and challenge. They play an active role in school life and oversee the school's work with clarity and precision. Governors ensure that the school meets statutory duties such as safeguarding with complete diligence.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff training is well considered, generally equipping teachers and support staff with the skills and knowledge they need to provide inclusive and effective education. Parents and carers speak very highly of the nurturing values of the school, and how well the school helps their children to blossom and grow during their time here. Leaders are highly reflective and work constructively with other schools and external organisations to continually improve the school's work.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders place personal development and wellbeing at the heart of the school’s work. They provide a well-planned programme that helps pupils grow into confident, caring and responsible young citizens. The school’s values, rooted in Catholic teaching, are highly visible throughout the environment and shape pupils’ attitudes towards one another and the wider community. Leaders make thoughtful choices, such as selecting the Year 6 production to explore themes of belonging and welcoming others. This helps pupils to reflect on moral responsibility, empathy and inclusion. Pupils are proud to raise funds for the school's chosen charity which helps to feed children around the world.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal development programme provides a wide range of meaningful experiences. Pupils develop their social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding through assemblies, celebration events, educational visits and a rich programme of clubs. Activities such as gardening club, outdoor learning and team sports opportunities build resilience, teamwork and independence. Relationships education, health education and online safety prepare pupils well to understand safe relationships and recognise both online and offline risks to their wellbeing. Pupils understand the importance of respect and kindness. They develop an appropriate understanding of fundamental British values through assemblies, although leaders have not yet embedded these themes consistently across everyday school life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school promotes inclusion effectively. Leaders ensure that all pupils benefit from enrichment opportunities, including those who are disadvantaged. Staff remove barriers to participation so that clubs, visits and wider experiences remain accessible to everyone. Older pupils willingly support younger children as buddies, demonstrating maturity, compassion and responsibility. Positive affirmations displayed around the school reinforce pupils’ self-esteem and sense of belonging. Thoughtful pastoral care enables pupils to feel safe, valued and listened to. As a result, pupils thrive within a nurturing community where personal development and wellbeing are given a high priority.

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

Pupils thrive in this caring school. The culture is shaped clearly by the school’s values of pray, learn, love and enjoy. Leaders, governors, staff and pupils live out these values in daily routines and interactions, creating a warm, purposeful and respectful environment. Behaviour across the school is calm and positive. Pupils strive to be ready, respectful and safe, demonstrating polite and considerate conduct throughout the day. They move around the school respectfully, showing courtesy to staff and peers. In lessons, pupils mostly show positive attitudes to learning. When activities engage them well, they participate enthusiastically and sustain concentration with minimal need for reminders.

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

Children make an excellent start in early years, acquiring strong skills in reading, mathematics, writing and communication. As they move through the school, pupils generally achieve well across the curriculum. They build secure knowledge in a wide range of subjects and apply it confidently in new contexts. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make very effective progress from their starting points as a result of high- quality support. Pupils produce work of good quality and talk with assurance about what they know and can do. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps, despite a dip in published test scores in mathematics and English grammar, punctuation and spelling at key stage 2 last year.

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

Pupils attend well. Leaders have ensured improvements to the attendance of disadvantaged pupils, reducing persistent absence by helping to overcome barriers. Personal development and wellbeing are positive, equipping pupils with skills, knowledge and confidence to help prepare them for the future. An enriching offer of extracurricular clubs and trips widens pupils’ experience of the world. Opportunities such as the Year 6 residential activity trip help pupils to develop resilience, confidence and independence. Pupils learn to swim adeptly in the school pool. Leaders provide high-quality pastoral care, particularly benefitting pupils with SEND.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that lesson activities are sharply designed to help pupils to achieve highly with spelling, handwriting and mathematics. Leaders should ensure that all teachers uphold high expectations for learning behaviour, helping pupils to show positive attitudes to learning at all times. Leaders should continue their work to raise the attendance of disadvantaged pupils.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Cathy Gregory.

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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 acting headteacher, assistant headteacher, SENDCo, teachers, support staff and governors 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

This school is registered as having a Catholic religious character. It is in the Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. Its last Catholic school inspection took place in October 2021.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. The headteacher retired and the acting leadership team took over in April 2026.

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About this inspection

There are now 213 pupils on roll at the school.

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Team inspectors:

Julie Sackett, His Majesty's Inspector Oliver Allen, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 2026

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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 6 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 needs support 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

2023/24 (final) 63% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 53% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 78% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 73% 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

2022/23 (final) 75% 71% 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) 69% 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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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) 5.2% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 4.8% 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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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 11.6% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

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

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Strong standard

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

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Expected standard

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

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Needs attention

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

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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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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