St Mary's Hunslet: Ofsted says 'much work to do' at Leeds primary school despite inspection improvement
Ofsted inspectors have said that there is “much work to do” at a Leeds primary school despite recent improvements.
St Mary’s CofE Primary Academy, located on Church Street, Hunslet, was rated Good in three of the five inspected areas - behaviour and attitudes, personal development and early years provision.
The school, which joined the Collaborative Learning Trust in 2020, was also rated Requires Improvement for the quality of education and leadership and management.
It is the school’s first inspection since it was rated Inadequate overall during a 2018 Ofsted visit.
The education watchdog said: “The school is welcoming and inclusive to all. It has a genuine spirit of community. Pupils enjoy school life and form strong friendships with their peers. Staff provide pupils with the social and emotional support they need.
“The school has high aspirations for what pupils can achieve. A new ambitious curriculum reflects this. However, too few pupils meet those high aspirations. There is still much work to do, to improve both the quality of teaching and pupils’ attendance.”
From Reception, the report details how the school has established a “clear set of routines” to promote positive behaviour, with pupils showing kindness and respect to each other.
The school has developed a “broad and ambitious curriculum”. It has identified the essential knowledge and skills it wants pupils to know and remember.
Inspectors added: “In some subjects, the school has not adapted the curriculum to ensure that it builds coherently on pupils’ prior knowledge. This means that, sometimes, pupils move on to new learning without the foundational knowledge they need to secure that learning.
“Sometimes, teachers do not select activities that are well-matched to pupils’ needs, including pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils find it difficult to access.”
Pupils benefit from a “comprehensive and age-appropriate” personal development programme. They are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online.
The school has improved pupils’ behaviour and attendance. It has established a “positive relationships with parents” and engages well with staff on matters of workload and wellbeing.
Headteacher Elizabeth McDonagh said: “There is much to celebrate and be very proud of thanks to the hard work and relentless commitment of the staff and governors, as well as our fantastic partnerships with parents/carers.
“We recognise there is still much to be done to continue our school improvement journey for our children and remain fully focused and committed to ensuring our children receive the best possible care, education, opportunities and love at St Mary’s.“