St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Sandhurst

Sandhurst

Address: Lower Church Road, Sandhurst, Berkshire, GU47 8HN Unique reference number (URN): 150159

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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

Children in Reception get off to a very positive start in this school. This is a result of the strong practice within early years. Leaders' high expectations of what children can achieve underpins this.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders ensure that children learn a curriculum that is highly effective. It equips them with the core knowledge and skills they need. The learning environment ensures that children benefit from plentiful opportunities to learn the curriculum through a broad range of high- quality learning activities. Almost all children sustain their interest in these activities.

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Early years Strong standard

Adults prioritise interacting with children at every opportunity. They ensure that interactions are of high quality and adults precisely model correct articulation and pronunciation of sounds to children. This means that children develop high levels of oracy.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff know children and their individual needs very well. Effective transition and positive partnership work with parents and carers helps staff to identify children who may need additional support at a very early stage. This includes children who may have a special educational need and/or disability.

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Early years Strong standard

The number of children who achieve a good level of development at the end of the reception year is higher than the national average. Children, therefore, begin Year 1 being very well prepared for their next stage in education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well at this school. This shows in the published outcomes of pupils' achievement in national assessments, which are above average.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils gain core knowledge and skills in reading, writing and mathematics. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those with other barriers to learning, who generally receive the support they need to make suitable progress from their starting points. Leaders ensure that reading is prioritised and that children learn phonics from the moment they begin Reception. By the end of Year 1, almost all pupils meet the expected standard in the phonics screening check and read with increasing fluency.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils typically achieve well in subjects outside of reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders recognise, however, that pupils could develop a more detailed knowledge and understanding of other areas of the curriculum. This would further ensure that pupils are very well prepared for their next stage of education.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is a strength of this school. The attendance of all pupils is above that of other schools nationally. This is because leaders establish high expectations. As a result, all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those with other barriers to learning, attend school often.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils arrive punctually and ready to learn, greeted by staff, who create a welcoming environment. Leaders make effective checks on pupils' attendance. This enables them to identify any concerns early.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established an environment that is calm, settled and conducive to learning. In lessons, many pupils show positive attitudes to learning. They listen attentively and are motivated to learn.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Staff know pupils well and understand their individual needs. Staff ensure that pupils who need additional support, including those with SEND, receive this. Skilled adults support these pupils to manage their behaviour so that they can access the curriculum with increasing success.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils interact positively with one another in all aspects of the school day. Instances of bullying are rare.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of curriculum and teaching. They know what is working well and they take effective action to both identity and address any areas that require further development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils develop their knowledge and skills across a broad range of subjects. Leaders ensure that pupils' learning is both progressive and sequenced to enable pupils to build their knowledge over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers generally deliver the curriculum well. They have secure subject knowledge of the subjects they teach. Teachers explain new learning clearly and make checks on what pupils understand. Pupils who require additional help, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically receive the support they need to access learning. This may be through additional adult support or adaptations to learning. Sometimes, teachers' adaptations to learning tasks lack precision and are not well matched to pupils' needs. As a result, some pupils access learning less well than they otherwise could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Early reading is prioritised. Children learn phonics from the moment they start Reception. Leaders ensure that well-trained staff teach phonics effectively. This ensures that almost all pupils develop the skills needed to become increasingly fluent readers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those with other barriers to learning, can achieve.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff accurately identify pupils who face additional barriers to learning. Leaders carefully consider strategies to reduce these barriers. This may be through in-class support or additional intervention. Leaders keep the impact of these strategies under regular review. This ensures that pupils typically receive the support they need. While these inclusive strategies have become more embedded, leaders recognise that refining this area of the school's work would ensure that pupils with additional barriers to learning consistently receive precise support to access learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have recently adjusted the learning environment to include the 'Lighthouse' and 'Sunshine' rooms. These spaces enable staff to work closely with pupils who require additional support.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work effectively with parents and carers to understand the individual needs of pupils. When required, they work proactively with other professionals.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Additional funding is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils. Leaders are aware of the barriers that these pupils face and ensure that these pupils receive the help they need.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance are rightly proud of their school and their community. Leaders describe the school community as a 'family'. Parents and carers typically speak positively about the school. They value leaders' work to create a welcoming environment.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders' checks ensure that they understand what is working well and that they identify the right areas to further improve the school. Effective support and challenge from within the trust helps leaders to plan how to address these areas for improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance, including trustees and local governors, seek the assurances they need about the school's performance. They do this through receiving reports from school leaders and visiting the school. As a result, governors understand the school's context, its strengths and leaders' priorities. Those with governance responsibilities also ensure that they fulfil their statutory duties effectively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff receive meaningful opportunities for professional learning. Leaders typically match training to the school's priorities. They also ensure that staff have access to professional learning provided by the trust. Staff value these opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that they support staff well. Staff are positive about leaders' actions to support their workload and wellbeing. Those responsible for governance are also committed to protecting this. Leaders ensure that they work proactively with parents and other professionals. This helps ensure that pupils, including the most vulnerable, receive the support they need.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have designed a coherent programme to support pupils' personal development and wellbeing. It is suitably broad and ambitious. Leaders ensure that the curriculum for personal, social and health education meets statutory requirements. Pupils typically develop an age-appropriate understanding about what they learn. Leaders recognise that the programme could better develop pupils' understanding so that it is more detailed.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about ways they can stay physically and mentally healthy, about gender equality and healthy relationships. Pupils learn about the importance of the fundamental British values through the school's assembly programme. This helps pupils to know the difference between right and wrong and develop an appreciation for the rights and beliefs of others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils learn ways in which they can keep themselves safe from harm, both online and offline. Pupils learn about the importance of not talking to strangers online and what to do if they experience cyber-bullying. Pupils also learn about water safety and road safety, including how to keep themselves safe when cycling on the road.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupil leadership roles, such as house captains and climate ambassadors, enable pupils to make a positive contribution to the school. Pupils enjoy attending the trips and visits on offer. They particularly enjoy attending residential visits in upper key stage 2 and the 'Wow' trips that the whole school attend altogether, including a visit to the beach. Leaders ensure that pupils have access to a range of extra-curricular activities. These include sports clubs, chess club, choir and 'Bible bites'. Leaders ensure that these opportunities are available to all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those with other vulnerabilities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the school's pastoral offer is effective in meeting the needs of pupils. Well-trained staff provide pupils who require additional pastoral support with the help they need.

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

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They very much see themselves as part of a welcoming and friendly community.

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

Pupils are guided by the school's motto of 'Let your light shine'. Alongside this, the school's Christian distinctiveness and values of compassion, courage, community and creativity encourage pupils to conduct themselves with kindness and respect, and to make the right choices.

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

Pupils behave positively in school. They play co-operatively with one another during social times, move sensibly through the school and show positive attitudes to learning in lessons. Bullying happens rarely. Pupils are confident that staff will deal with any worries quickly. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

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

Pupils enjoy lessons and show an eagerness to learn. These positive learning habits are established in the early years, where children in Reception get off to a strong start. Pupils of all ages typically achieve well, as reflected in published outcome data. They learn to read with increasing fluency and develop oracy skills from the moment they begin school. Pupils learn a broad range of subjects. Teachers help them to build their knowledge and skills in these subject areas over time. Pupils with additional barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically make suitable progress through the curriculum from their individual starting points.

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

Pupils are greeted warmly by staff who know them and their families well. This means that they develop a sense of belonging to the school community. As a result, pupils attend often and punctually. Pupils' attendance is above the national average.

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

Pupils appreciate the wider opportunities available to them. They enjoy taking part in extra- curricular clubs and representing the school in pupil leadership roles. They 'love' the 'Wow' trips and talk enthusiastically about some of the exciting places they have visited as a whole school.

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

During their time at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, pupils are well prepared for the next stage in education.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that their inclusive strategies are systematically implemented with greater consistency so that pupils with additional barriers to learning are better supported to achieve well. Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently make precise adaptations to the curriculum that are very well matched to the needs of pupils. Leaders should further strengthen the school's broader curriculum so that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop a detailed knowledge of the subjects they have been taught and produce work that is of high quality.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Keys Academy 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), Hester Wooller, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Horrocks.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. This inspection took place on 15 and 16 September 2026.

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Team inspectors:

William James, Ofsted Inspector Anneka Fisher, 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 15 September 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?

National average: 268 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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What does this mean?

Inspectors spoke with the head of school, executive headteacher and other senior leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator, during the inspection. The lead inspector spoke with the CEO, representatives from the board of trustees, the local governing committee and the diocese.

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What does this mean?

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Oxford. Its last section 48 inspection was 12 June 2023.

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What does this mean?

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The executive headteacher is Amanda Ruthven.

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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. National average: 15%

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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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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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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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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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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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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. 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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