St Mary's Church of England Primary School

St Mary's Church of England Primary School

Address: St Mary's Road, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8BW Unique reference number (URN): 149831

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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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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well in both the Year 1 phonics screening check, which is consistently close to the national average, and in the Year 4 multiplication timetables check, which is above national averages. Most pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, learn well. They generally build their knowledge over time. By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards like those seen nationally. This prepares them well as they transition into secondary school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils learn the basics of reading, writing and mathematics well. Typically, they achieve well across the wider curriculum. Work in books shows that pupils make progress through the curriculum. Most pupils link their learning across different subjects. For example, in history, when studying World War 2, pupils learn the meaning of propaganda and produce art that reflects this. However, in some subjects across the wider curriculum, pupils do not consistently recall their learning as thoroughly as they could.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders recognise the challenges some pupils face when coming to school. This is reflected in published data, which shows that recent attendance has been low. Despite this, leaders are gradually helping more pupils attend regularly. Leaders provide early, personalised help to remove barriers to attendance. Attendance is improving for pupils who previously struggled, supported by effective pastoral relationships. Leaders continue to strengthen their analysis to improve how well some pupils come to school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have put in place appropriate systems to monitor and promote good behaviour. The school is calm and orderly in lessons and as pupils move around the building. Classrooms are focused, enabling pupils to learn without disruption. Staff act as positive role models. They form genuine, warm and caring relationships with pupils. Pupils display enthusiastic attitudes to learning and enjoy school. They follow routines and treat each other well. In the playground, they explore or play happily on the various equipment. As a result, pupils typically behave well. If bullying does happen, pupils know staff will help them deal with it swiftly. Staff deal with any unkindness between pupils effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a firm understanding of the quality of teaching and the curriculum. The school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. Leaders clearly identify the important knowledge they want pupils to know and when they learn it. Leaders prioritise pupils’ fluency in mathematics. ‘Early bird maths’, at the start of the day, sharpens their arithmetic skills. Pupils benefit from a range of readily available resources, such as writing frames and mathematical manipulatives. These help improve how pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities can learn more successfully alongside their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders continue to focus on developing consistently accurate spelling and handwriting to support increased fluency in pupils’ writing. This begins from the early years as children learn the importance of pencil grip and accurate letter formation. As they progress through the school, pupils learn to draft, edit and publish texts across a range of writing styles.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff make regular checks on what pupils know and can do. Teachers use questions to assess pupils’ understanding. They use misconceptions as an opportunity to deepen pupils’ knowledge. Leaders know the processes for checking understanding in some aspects of the wider curriculum need refining.

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Early years Expected standard

Some children enter the early years significantly below those typical for their age. Leaders and staff make every effort to get to know the children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, well and build positive relationships with families. Effective teaching ensures that children of all abilities make the progress they should from their starting points. Reading is a top priority. From the Reception Year, children learn the sounds they need to decode, blend and read words with accuracy. They read books that match these sounds. Children apply phonics when they write, building the foundations for learning across all subjects.

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Early years Expected standard

High expectations and consistent routines prevail. Children rise to these well. They tidy up promptly when asked and follow instructions carefully. They benefit from stimulating indoor and outside areas. They engage in various activities, including writing tasks and mathematics tasks. Children enjoy learning. ‘Rainbow’ challenges motivate and inspire children to deepen their thinking. Staff use every opportunity to model vocabulary and talk. This encourages children to use new words as they learn through play. For example, they use words like ‘syringe’ accurately when filling cups in the water tray. This helps them to be well prepared for Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Inclusion is a strength. A nurturing ethos pervades the school. Expectations with pupils are firmly rooted in mutual respect. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, those known to social care and those who are disadvantaged, thrive in a culture that supports them to progress well from their starting points. Spaces such as the ‘Nest’ provide pupils with calm spaces, where they can manage their emotions and return to learning successfully. Leaders quickly identify any barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders provide training and guidance that develops staff expertise and enables them to better understand the individual needs of pupils. Staff work closely with families, especially where pupils face difficulties in their lives. They work with external agencies and alternative provision, where extra help is needed. Staff generally make the right adaptations to support learning. They use visual timetables, so pupils know what is coming up next. Writing programmes, scaffolds, prompts and learning breaks help pupils succeed. Staff amend pupils’ resources, such as symbols and pictures, to support their learning. Leaders use additional funding well to ensure that all pupils can access, without financial barriers, experiences, clubs and enrichment opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Recently, the school has undergone changes in leadership. Supported by the trust, leaders hold an accurate understanding of the school’s context. Leaders ensure that pupils are at the heart of all decisions made at the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff, including early career teachers, appreciate the way in which the school considers their workload and wellbeing. They value being part of a cohesive and nurturing team. Staff share leaders’ vision and act in the best interests of children. They know pupils well and provide a careful balance of nurture, challenge and support. Leaders ensure that staff have access to a wide range of professional development opportunities. For example, they receive training on how they can meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This helps pupils make progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees and the local governing committee ensure that the school fulfils its statutory duties, for example to keep pupils safe. They provide effective challenge about the quality of its provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders recognise the importance of working closely with families and engaging with the wider community. They feel grateful for the inclusive ethos and praise how staff go ‘above and beyond’ so their children get the help they need. Most parents and carers support the changes and decisions made by the school, but a few do not. Leaders continue to strengthen how well they communicate with them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school's personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum supports pupils to learn about a variety of important topics, such as how to keep safe online, diversity and how to build positive relationships with others. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of how their bodies change as they get older. They fully embrace the spiritual ethos of the school. Through their actions, pupils show that they understand and apply school values, such as respect and friendship.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils understand the principles of fundamental British values, such as democracy and the rule of law. They vote their peers into positions of responsibility, including the school council. Pupils experience a 'mock trial', weighing the evidence to reach a judgement. Visits from professionals such as dentists, police and a vet support them to learn about people's roles in society. Older pupils visit an engineering company to explore design and manufacturing in action, seeing how everyday products are developed and gaining insight into potential careers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to make a difference to their school. Pupils take their positions of responsibility seriously, such as being house captains, school prefects. They raise money for charity, support younger pupils in the playground or lead whole-school worship. Clubs such as Minecraft, football and short mat bowls, help to nurture pupils’ talents and interests. Leaders track pupils’ participation and adapt the offer so that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, benefit. Residential trips build pupils' independence and resilience, and pupils see them as highlights of the school year. Year 2 pupils experience camping on the school field, while Years 4 and 6 take part in outdoor adventurous activities at residential centres. Forest school is woven into the curriculum across all year groups, helping pupils see how classroom concepts apply outdoors.

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

The school sits at the heart of the local community. Leaders greet pupils and their families each day. Pupils enjoy school; most attend well. Attendance is improving for pupils who previously struggled, supported by effective pastoral relationships and early help. Leaders and staff promote the school’s core qualities of care, curiosity and courage. From the early years onwards, pupils do their best to embody these. They learn to look after one another, question and explore, so they can gain the confidence to turn their aspirations into action. This contributes to pupils’ sense of belonging and togetherness.

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

Leaders take effective action to reduce barriers to learning. They identify pupils’ needs at an early stage. They make sure suitable support is in place for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing additional challenges. Consequently, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make suitable progress from their starting points. Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics show that most pupils are prepared well for secondary school.

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

The school rules, 'be ready, respectful and safe', are securely understood by pupils. Pupils typically behave well. They report that if bullying happens, they know that staff will help to sort it out. Across the school, pupils cooperate well, organise their own games or catch up with their friends. If they struggle to live up to the school's expectations, staff provide consistently high-quality help and support. This makes the school a happy and harmonious place. Leaders enrich the curriculum and bring it to life. This includes trips to the beach and local museums to learning about the crocodiles of the world at a local zoological park. These broaden pupils’ horizons and deepens their learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure they improve their communication with parents and carers by delivering key information in a clear, consistent and timely way by giving stakeholders the chance to share their feedback. Leaders should ensure they sharpen the precision of their analysis of attendance and behaviour information so that they can identify more quickly where strategies are working and where further action is required. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment accurately to adapt learning so that all pupils develop deep knowledge across the wider curriculum.

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Lead inspector:

Gavin Summerfield, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Hilary Goddard, Ofsted Inspector Sarah Wilson, His Majesty's 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 14 July 2026

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies 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), Canon Rachel Howie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Reverend Craig Huxley-Jones.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 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 school leaders, including the headteacher, pupils and parents. They also spoke with representatives from the Diocese of Gloucester, and a representation from the trust, including the deputy chief executive officer, a trustee 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

The headteacher took up her post in April 2026.

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Gloucester. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection was in May 2022.

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About this inspection

The school uses 2 unregistered alternative provisions.

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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

2024/25 (final) 56% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 71% 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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average

2023/24 (final) 66% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 69% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 77% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 62% 63% Close to average

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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

2023/24 (final) 57% 59% Close to average

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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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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) 5.0% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 4.9% 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

2024/25 (3 term) 9.7% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 11.7% 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. 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

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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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