St Thomas' Church of England Primary School Stockport

Stockport

Address: Marriott Street, Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 3PJ Unique reference number (URN): 106109

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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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This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Early years Expected standard

Children get off to a good start in the early years. They learn through a suitably designed curriculum that staff deliver effectively. This includes the delivery of the phonics programme, which has improved as a result of focused staff training. Staff model language skills clearly and build children’s vocabulary through activities across the different areas of learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Children typically achieve well in the early years. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported to access the curriculum. As a result, they usually make positive progress from their individual starting points.

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Early years Expected standard

Children enjoy warm, positive relationships with their teachers. They are encouraged to develop independence, including self-care skills, and positive behaviours for learning. Children feel safe and happy in the care of staff.

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Early years Expected standard

Those with responsibility for early years carry out their duties effectively. They recognise when adjustments need to be made to the curriculum, or where staff’s practices could be refined. For instance, leaders have recently arranged professional development for staff to improve their high-quality interactions with children further. While this is positive work, these enhancements are not fully embedded at present.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders do not identify and assess pupils’ needs quickly or precisely enough. While they are generally effective in identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), this is inconsistent for other pupils. This is particularly evident in leaders' identification of pupils’ academic needs and knowledge gaps. It is also the case for disadvantaged pupils and those with less complex SEND. As a result, leaders and staff do not have a secure understanding of the barriers these pupils face. In turn, actions taken to address barriers are typically too broad and do not have the intended impact on pupils’ achievement. This includes the use of pupil premium funding, which does not give sufficient regard to the key issues that prevent disadvantaged pupils from achieving well. Consequently, some barriers to pupils’ learning are not reduced.

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Urgent improvement

Leaders work to support other groups of pupils is more effective. This includes vulnerable pupils, such as those in local authority care and those known to social care services. Leaders work well with external agencies to provide targeted and effective support to these pupils and their families. For instance, leaders organise counselling sessions to help some pupils deal with their emotions. Leaders have also developed productive partnerships with young carer support groups, providing additional help for pupils with caring responsibilities at home.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

As in other areas of the curriculum, pupils do not develop a secure understanding of some content within the school’s personal development programme. For instance, their understanding of fundamental British values and the protected characteristics is variable. Although the design of the programme is suitable, it is not delivered well enough to ensure that important concepts are learned and remembered. Leaders do not have a close eye on curriculum delivery so are not alert to where pupils’ understanding is less secure. Consequently, pupils are not supported to address their gaps effectively and do not benefit fully from the personal development programme.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils develop a better understanding of content within personal, social and health education. For instance, they have a clear understanding of how their body will change and grow as they get older. Pupils learn how to form healthy relationships and to recognise risks to their own safety. This includes when using technology online. Pupils also have opportunities to learn from the local road safety team.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school provides high levels of emotional care and support for pupils, especially those with additional vulnerabilities or challenges at home. Pupils know how to access this support independently. For example, they are aware of the staff who pupils can go to see whenever there is something on their mind.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders arrange a variety of experiences to enhance pupils’ schooling. For example, pupils get to learn forest skills in dedicated sessions across the year. They also go to see pantomime performances. Pupils have numerous chances to take on responsibilities around the school. For instance, some become buddies for younger pupils and those who join the school midway through the year. Pupils have access to extra-curricular clubs, such as dance and football. However, leaders could be more rigorous in ensuring that disadvantaged pupils make the most of these opportunities.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils do not acquire crucial basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics quickly enough. Consequently, over time, few pupils have reached the expected standard in all 3 subjects by the end of Year 6. Pupils' attainment in mathematics is particularly poor. Three-year averages also show significant underperformance in other national tests, including grammar, punctuation and spelling and phonics. This pattern is often similarly true for disadvantaged pupils. These outcomes reflect how underprepared pupils often are for their next stages of education.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Beyond English and mathematics, pupils’ knowledge is also patchy. They struggle to recall prior learning. Pupils have misconceptions in many subjects, which leaders and teachers are not adept at identifying. As a result, gaps in pupils' knowledge become entrenched, which hinders their future learning.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make suitable progress from their individual starting points. However, this is inconsistent.

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Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Too many pupils are persistently absent from school. Overall, attendance remains consistently below the national average. This is equally true for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. School leaders and governors show a distinct lack of insight into why this is the case. At times, they blame contextual factors without truly unpicking the range of barriers to pupils’ attendance. In turn, strategies to improve attendance lack precision and have not led to sustained improvement.

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Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Overall, pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They are respectful of their teachers and follow instructions. Pupils are sensible at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They play together nicely. Leaders have recently introduced approaches to help pupils understand how to regulate their emotions. Pupils, especially those with social, emotional and/or mental health needs, value these new strategies and find them helpful. Leaders do not tolerate discrimination and ensure that pupils develop a healthy respect for others. They take appropriate action on the rare occasions when a bullying concern arises.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching. Their evaluations are over generous and often based on superficial insights. As a result, leaders do not accurately identify the root causes of weaknesses. This limits their ability to set precise, strategic actions to address them. Consequently, progress in tackling longstanding curriculum priorities has been stagnant.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Over time, leaders have taken a scattergun approach to curriculum improvement, frequently introducing changes that are poorly planned or implemented. Although very recent developments in the English and mathematics curriculums appear more positive, these are far from being embedded. Therefore, pupils continue to receive insufficient support to secure basic skills in these subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders ensure pupils access a broad range of curriculum subjects. However, many of these curriculums are not designed or adapted effectively to suit the needs of mixed-age classes in key stage 2. This causes pupils to miss certain content depending on which classes they are in.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Staff do not teach some curriculum content effectively. They sometimes provide superficial or unhelpful learning activities that are not well matched to what pupils most need to know. Furthermore, staff do not consistently identify pupils' prior learning or knowledge gaps. This limits their ability to plan learning that builds securely over time. However, staff make some suitable adaptations to learning that helps pupils with individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The school’s capacity to improve is weak and is overly reliant on external support. School leaders and governors have allowed many of the same weaknesses to persist over time without securing meaningful improvement. They lack the skills and strategic insight required to identify the root cause of issues or to set an effective course of action.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Governors do not fulfil their responsibilities effectively. They do not ensure that policies and practices are consistently maintained in line with statutory guidance. They have also failed to hold school leaders to account for the lack of sustained and measurable improvement. Governors do not have an accurate or secure understanding of the school’s context. This has been made worse by a high turnover of governors and chairs of governors. Governors have significant gaps in their understanding of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to social care and the barriers faced by disadvantaged pupils. Collectively, these pupils make up the majority of the school. As a result, governors fail to consider the needs of many pupils when setting the school's strategic direction.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders prioritise professional learning, providing staff with a range of curriculum-focused training opportunities. In a small number of subjects, more recent training shows early signs of positive impact on teachers’ practice. Leaders are considerate of staff wellbeing. For example, they ensure that staff have protected time to carry out additional duties. Leaders engage parents and carers through workshops and similar school events.

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

Pupils do not receive an acceptable standard of education. They have been hindered by a range of factors that ultimately stem from ineffective leadership and governance. For example, leaders have not sufficiently addressed weaknesses in curriculum design and teaching practices. Similarly, they have not tackled deep-rooted attendance issues, meaning that many pupils miss out on important learning. These issues have been highlighted in previous inspections, yet they largely persist. Pupils generally fare no better in their learning as a result.

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

Pupils do not achieve well at this school. This includes disadvantaged pupils, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who do not consistently make suitable progress from their own starting points. Pupils have continued to attain below and, in several cases significantly below, local and national averages in national assessments. Furthermore, pupils do not build a suitable body of knowledge across most other parts of the curriculum. They often struggle to recall their prior learning and have various misconceptions. Collectively, this means that many pupils are ill-equipped for the next stage of their education. Pupils generally enjoy their learning. They largely demonstrate a positive attitude to their education, when they are in school. Most pupils conduct themselves well in class and around the building, particularly children in early years, who form positive behaviours from

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

the start. Pupils get along well with each other and form caring relationships with staff. Pupils feel safe and leaders tackle bullying or unkindness effectively.

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

All pupils are offered a range of additional opportunities to support their personal development. These include different sports clubs, a residential visit and other trips, such as to a zoo and an orchestra. There are also a number of school council groups that pupils can join to develop their leadership and teamwork skills Some pupils benefit positively from the personal development offer.

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Next steps

School leaders must develop their capacity to improve the school and move beyond an over reliance on external support so that they consistently identify the right priorities and effective strategies to drive school improvement. Governors must develop the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfil their statutory core functions. This includes developing an accurate understanding of the school’s context, strengths and priorities and holding leaders to account effectively. Leaders must identify and tackle the barriers to pupils' attendance in order to reduce persistent absence rates and improve overall attendance. Leaders must address the shortcomings in the design and delivery of the curriculum, including in the use of assessment, so that pupils attain well and develop sufficient knowledge ready for their next stage of education. Leaders must ensure that pupils acquire the crucial foundations of knowledge in English

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Next steps

and mathematics quickly enough. Leaders should ensure that they identify and address pupils’ individual needs more quickly and with greater accuracy than they currently do. This includes pupils’ academic needs, and for some of those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders should ensure that disadvantaged pupils’ barriers to learning and participation in extra-curricular activities are identified and reduced more effectively, including through better use of pupil premium funding. Leaders should embed the new approaches in the early years and enhance high-quality interactions between children and staff.

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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 updated 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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Team inspectors:

Elizabeth Travis, Ofsted Inspector Emily Morris, 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. In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The school may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspection(s) we carry out.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, who is also the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, and other leaders. Inspectors also spoke with representatives from the local authority and the diocese. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the school's current external improvement partner.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The lead inspector spoke with members of the local governing body.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This school is registered as having a Christian religious character. Its most recent section 48 inspection took place in March 2020.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

There has been a notable turnover in governors in recent years. This has included frequent changes in the chair of governors. The chair at the time of the inspection was due to step down in June 2026. Governors had not confirmed a replacement at the time of the inspection.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Headteacher: Paul Sanchez The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 28 April 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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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) 80% 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) 75% 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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national average

2023/24 (final) 53% 62% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 57% 60% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 57% 58% Close to average

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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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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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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

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Urgent improvement

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