St Margaret's CofE Primary SchoolOfsted report card, 15 Sept 2026

St Margaret's CofE Primary School

Address: Birmingham Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B43 7AP Unique reference number (URN): 103995

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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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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders use effective systems to manage pupils' attendance. Pupils typically attend school regularly. Fewer pupils are persistently absent from school. This is because leaders carefully identify pupils and families who may need support. Overall, this support is effective. For example, leaders provide considerate and constructive support for pupils with medical needs and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who do not attend school well.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils understand leaders' expectations for their behaviour. They know the school rules of be ready, be respectful and be safe. Pupils explain how staff help them to make the right choices. This helps to make sure they typically behave well in lessons and at social times. Pupils develop positive attitudes to school. They are keen to learn and engage well in lessons, usually listening carefully.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Incidents of discriminatory behaviour and bullying rarely happen. Pupils confirm this. They have faith that staff will promptly address any issues if they do occur. Leaders positively encourage those pupils who struggle with their behaviour to take on responsibilities in school. This enables them to engage and contribute positively to school life.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that learning in the early years is a priority. Children quickly settle into school life because staff get to know the children before they start school. They develop positive relationships with children and their parents. This enables them to plan learning activities that engage children well in their learning. The early years curriculum is broad and well considered. It prioritises children learning important social and communication skills early. This enables children to learn typically well in other areas of learning. Children develop important physical skills, which later enable them to control a pencil when writing. For example, when adding details to pictures using cotton buds, staff encourage a tripod grip.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders work effectively with staff to ensure that they make the most of their daily interactions with children. Typically, this supports children well in securing and deepening their learning. Occasionally, some opportunities are lost. However, children learn generally well across the early years curriculum.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff regularly engage with parents to involve them in their child’s learning. This includes regular workshops and events. Staff make sure that children are well prepared for Year 1. They make sure that Year 1 staff have the information they need to ensure an effective transition.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff get to know pupils’ needs typically well. This helps staff to understand the barriers to learning these pupils may face. Overall, leaders use this information well to inform the support offered to pupils to make sure that it is effective. For example, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have an ‘all about me plan’. These identify aspects of learning, which pupils find difficult and how pupils can be supported to overcome these barriers. Staff devise these with leaders’ support to ensure that they are accurate. In general, leaders review these plans regularly to ensure that they are having an impact. Pupils with more complex needs are particularly well understood. Leaders make sure these pupils get the support they need to communicate and engage in suitable learning in ‘the zone’.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders understand the specific barriers that may face pupils who are disadvantaged at the school. They use additional funding provided to make sure that these pupils are typically well supported and that this is having an impact.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders liaise effectively with external partners and other schools to understand the needs of pupils who are known or previously known to social care. This support enables these pupils to settle well into school life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have constructed a personal development programme, which when considered as a whole, suitably meets the needs of pupils. Through the personal, social, health and economic education programme pupils learn about building relationships, healthy eating and how to keep themselves safe, including online. In relationships and sex education, they gain an age-appropriate understanding of the changes that happen to their bodies as they grow older. Pupils learn to be tolerant of different faiths, cultures and relationships. Pupils say, ‘It is important to be yourself.’ This prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Pupils develop well socially. They understand that it is important to make the right choices in life. They say that, when you do not make the right choices, ‘people don’t want to be your friend.’

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders aspire for pupils to have opportunities that help them develop beyond the academic curriculum and have experiences they may not otherwise have. Leaders provide pupils with wider opportunities through ‘What can I do as a St Margaret’s child?’ activities. For example, pupils learn to sew in Year 4. Every pupil experiences an educational visit at least annually. Pupils can recall trips to museums. Older pupils look forward to a residential visit in Year 5 or 6.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders offer a suitable range of extra-curricular activities that help pupils to develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils attend clubs, such as maths, board games, choir and a range of sports clubs. Leaders monitor participation carefully and encourage pupils to suggest additional activities through a ‘suggestion box’ in the corridor. This helps pupils to engage in school life and develop their confidence. Leaders also encourage pupils to share their achievements in assemblies, which celebrates success and promotes pride in their accomplishments.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Nurturing and kind staff support pupils effectively with their wellbeing. The pupil wellbeing team establish positive relationships with younger pupils through playing games with them and helping them if they have any problems.

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Achievement Needs attention

While many pupils achieve well overall, across the curriculum pupils do not achieve as well as they could from their starting points. Some pupils are not as well prepared for their next stages of education as they could be.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils in key stage 1 now learn important foundations in English well. They read and write using secure phonics knowledge. They develop consistency in forming letters and using punctuation. However, a significant number of pupils in key stage 2 have gaps in these foundations for learning that persist. This impacts on their ability to write more complex pieces. Older pupils are not as skilled as they should be at understanding, explaining and hypothesising about what they have read. In mathematics, pupils achieve somewhat better. However, they do not achieve as well as they could. This is because they do not develop the fluency they need to solve problems. Typically, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are disadvantaged make positive progress from their starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the school’s curriculum. However, across the curriculum, staff do not consistently teach it as well as intended. They do not always focus on teaching the right knowledge at the right time. There remain inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, which leaders have not addressed as well as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum is suitably sequenced so that pupils build knowledge over time. The reading and writing curriculums have recently been adapted to ensure this. For example, the writing curriculum now ensures that the important foundations for learning in spelling, handwriting and punctuation are taught early. Staff focus on these skills when pupils are younger. However, staff do not consistently address these gaps in knowledge for older pupils in lessons. There is also variation in how well staff teach mathematics. This impacts on pupils' mathematical fluency.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff make adaptations to the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in class to enable these pupils to learn alongside their peers. However, on occasion, these adaptations are not always as effective as they could be. Consequently, staff are not always adept at ensuring that these pupils learn well.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have faced a number of challenges that have impacted on their ability to improve the school’s provision for pupils as well as they should have. They have an effective understanding of what needs to improve. Plans are in place to do this. However, much of this work is at an earlier stage of development. Leaders want the best for pupils, but they are yet to fully achieve this. That said, leaders' work to improve teaching and learning in phonics has had a real impact recently. While leaders’ plans identify suitable steps to achieve their goals, they have not ensured that all staff are as well trained as they could be to achieve these. Also, leaders do not check as effectively as they could to ensure that improvements are made.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors are acutely aware of the challenges that leaders have faced. They know that the pace of improvement has been slower than it should have been. However, they have suitably balanced the challenge and support they provide to leaders to drive the school forward. Leaders engage positively with staff. Over time, staff's workload has increased somewhat. Staff feel that leaders are considerate of this as well as their wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Overall, leaders engage well with parents. Parents feel that their children learn to play an active and positive role in the community. One parent’s comment summed up the views of many when they stated, ‘My children have been made to feel ‘part’ of the family at school, and they look forward to attending.’

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

Values run deep at St Margaret's. Pupils live by the school's values and explain what they mean in practice. For example, they speak in detail about the need to be truthful and to persevere. They said, ‘We need to be these things when we grow up.’ Pupils attend school well and understand the importance of doing so. Attendance ambassadors encourage their peers to attend regularly and arrive on time.

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

Pupils behave well in and around school. They are respectful of each other and treat visitors with courtesy. Pupils play positively and constructively on the playground. Typically, they focus and concentrate well in class, working cooperatively with partners when asked to do so. Because pupils live by the school values, bullying is rare and addressed effectively when it does occur.

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

Pupils are positive about learning in a range of curriculum subjects. However, across the curriculum, they do not learn as well as they could. This means that progress from their starting points can be variable. Not all pupils develop the breadth of learning necessary to be well prepared for their next stage of education. That said, the needs of pupils who have specific barriers to their learning are well understood. Generally, these pupils do make suitable progress.

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

Leaders encourage pupils to ‘let their light shine’, through offering them a range of responsibilities. Pupils can be school councillors, part of the eco team or wellbeing team. These roles provide pupils with opportunities to contribute to school life as well as covering national and international issues. For example, pupils fundraise for a charity, which supports the protection of endangered species.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff consistently deliver the school’s curriculum as well as intended so that pupils learn the specific knowledge they need to know to succeed.

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Lead inspector:

Barry Yeardsley, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Melonie Davies, Ofsted Inspector Leah Adams, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place. Leaders should ensure that teaching supports all pupils to develop the knowledge and skills they need for future learning in handwriting, spelling and punctuation. Leaders should ensure that professional learning is closely aligned to the school’s priorities and that its impact on practice is monitored regularly. Leaders should support staff to ensure that any adaptations made to pupils' learning are as effective as possible. Leaders should further support staff in the early years to ensure that they make the best use of interactions during children’s learning activities.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Ian Simms.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, including the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Lichfield. Its most recent section 48 inspection was in January 2024.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Headteacher : Stuart Jones 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?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 61% 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) 76% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 70% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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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) 72% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 77% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 80% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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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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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.6% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.6% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.5% 5.9% 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) 10.3% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 16.0% 16.2% 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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