Schools & FE · Report card

St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Inspected 23 Jun 2026 · published 17 Sept 2026 · URN 149742

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Jessie Linsley (lead), Joanne Sanchez-Thompson, Wayne Jarvis

What we read, and from where

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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
23 Jun 2026
Inspectors verified
Jessie Linsley, Joanne Sanchez-Thompson, Wayne Jarvis
Postcode verified
HP4 3LF
Name on report verified
St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School,
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
149742

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.

+62Positivemore positive than 32% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseeffectivelypositiveenjoyfeel safeconsistentlyeffectivesuccessfullyclear

Criticismconcernsat riskweaknessesseriouslyabsencepersistent absencenot positivelybelow

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1654w+61
Leadership227w+64
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve59w+66

Strengths

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Concerns

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Leaders identify pupils at risk of frequent absence early, so they can offer help without delay. p.2

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

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

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,991; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Fairly hard; Flesch 51, typical 43
Average sentence: 10 words
Next steps: 2; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 5%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 55%Leadership 7%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 34%

Full report text

a Voluntary Academy

Address: Greenway, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 3LF Unique reference number (URN): 149742

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

Leaders place high importance on attendance. They track attendance closely. They act quickly when they spot concerns. Leaders identify pupils at risk of frequent absence early, so they can offer help without delay. Staff promote regular attendance and challenge absence where needed. This approach leads to high attendance across the school. Overall attendance is above national figures. Attendance for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is also above national levels. Persistent absence remains below national figures. Sometimes, pupils miss school for valid reasons, such as illness. Staff maintain regular contact with families and support pupils when they return. This helps pupils feel settled and attend regularly over time.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Behaviour across the school is calm, respectful and purposeful. Pupils follow routines and settle quickly to learning. They show consistently positive attitudes and sustain effort in lessons. Older pupils model thoughtful and responsible behaviour and support younger pupils, including during playtime. This builds a strong culture of care and responsibility. Pupils rightly say behaviour is highly positive and that staff deal with concerns quickly. Bullying and unkind behaviour are very rare. When they occur, staff take swift and effective action. Leaders anticipate when pupils may need more help to manage their feelings, emotions and behaviour. They provide effective support in these cases. Leaders track behaviour closely and respond quickly to patterns. This ensures that high standards of behaviour are sustained.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well. Typically, they develop secure knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ books show improvements in handwriting. They also show that pupils use more complex vocabulary and produce more developed writing. In reading, most pupils read with increasing fluency and accuracy. This helps them understand texts. In discussions, pupils explain what they know using appropriate subject-specific vocabulary. This includes subjects such as science and personal, social and health education. This shows that pupils use their knowledge across different subjects.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Some pupils produce work of a high standard. This is seen in presentation, sentence structure and spelling. This includes accuracy in mathematics. Many pupils apply their calculation skills confidently when solving problems.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other additional needs, make steady progress. Typically, pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for their next stage of education. This is reflected by pupils' achievement in national tests and assessments.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have constructed a well-structured curriculum across subjects and year groups. In each subject they have identified what knowledge pupils should learn and when. Pupils revisit and build on earlier learning. In English and mathematics, whole-school approaches ensure learning builds in a clear order. Teachers follow agreed sequences, so that pupils develop knowledge step by step and avoid gaps in learning.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the school. They use this knowledge to decide how to use staff and resources. Consistent approaches to teaching are becoming embedded across the school. Leaders act quickly when they identify areas for improvement. This strengthens teaching. It also helps pupils to learn the planned curriculum well. Leaders provide effective training and guidance. This enables teachers to teach subjects well. Teachers give clear explanations and model learning, so pupils understand new ideas.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils learn to read through a structured phonics programme. Teachers ensure pupils use this knowledge in reading and writing tasks. Teachers use questions and discussion to check understanding. This helps them identify what pupils know and adjust teaching when needed. This helps pupils’ knowledge to grow steadily.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers usually use their knowledge of pupils' starting points and needs effectively to support pupils' learning. This helps pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to learn successfully alongside their peers.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders make early years a priority. They give children a happy and positive start to school. Leaders know what is working well and what needs to improve. They make changes when needed. They have designed a curriculum that reflects children’s needs.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Staff teach the curriculum well. They adapt activities to children’s starting points and interests. They support children to develop language skills and confidence. For example, children talk about their ideas and engage in activities that build communication skills. In art, children create drawings that show progress from early mark-making to more detailed images. This shows how children build skills and knowledge over time.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Staff get children ready for Year 1. They teach daily routines and show children how to manage things like coats and clothing. They also help children develop physical skills. Leaders give clear information to Year 1 staff so learning continues without gaps.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Children develop well from their starting points. Over time, they become more confident and get on well with others. They develop early reading and writing skills. Additionally, they use their phonics knowledge to read and write more accurately. Children stay calm and follow routines. They feel safe and enjoy playing. Leaders make sure all children, including those with extra needs, can join in fully. Typically, most children are ready for the next stage.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify pupils’ additional needs quickly. These include pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who face other challenges. Leaders work with parents and carers and, where needed, they involve external services to build an accurate picture of each pupil. This, alongside regular communication with families, helps the school provide the right support at the right time.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders expect all pupils to achieve well. For those pupils who need this, staff create support plans. These spell out the strategies and actions that will support each pupil. Leaders ensure that staff have the expertise to use these strategies. However, sometimes these strategies do not impact as positively as they could. As a result, some pupils do not apply their learning as successfully as leaders intend.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders plan transitions carefully, including moves to secondary school, so any extra support a pupil has continues without disruption. This means pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils effectively. They provide academic support and support for pupils’ wellbeing. Leaders also ensure pupils attend enrichment activities. These activities build skills and widen pupils’ experiences. This helps pupils apply what they learn in class with confidence. Additionally, these pupils feel included.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

New leaders have quickly improved the curriculum and teaching. These changes have already raised pupils’ achievement. For example, pupils now produce higher-quality work across subjects. Leaders understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They set clear next steps. They focus on what matters most for pupils. Changes mean that pupils now behave better.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders set a clear vision for the school. Staff follow this vision with support from the trust and governors. All staff share responsibility for improvement, which leads to steady progress. Leaders review and improve the curriculum and teaching. They replace programmes when needed. Leaders train subject leaders effectively. They provide coaching in lessons. This strengthens teaching, which impacts positively on pupils’ achievement.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors and trustees carry out their roles effectively. They gather useful information about the school. The trust provides additional oversight. They gather the right information. The trust provides additional oversight. Governors ensure that they understand the school's work. They support and challenge leaders effectively. This strengthens leaders’ work and sharpens improvement.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing. They consider staff's workload when they introduce changes. They develop systems, such as planning approaches, with staff. Staff use these systems effectively. Staff morale is high and value leaders’ support. Leaders provide training that meets staff needs. Parents share very positive views about the school. For example, they feel leaders are approachable and their children are well-cared for.

p.4