St Mary's Church of England Primary Norwood Green

Overview

St Mary’s Church of England Primary Norwood Green continues to be a good school, described as an “inclusive and happy” environment where pupils have “positive attitudes.” Leaders maintain high expectations, fostering a “calm and orderly” atmosphere where children feel safe and are keen to learn.

Strengths

• Reading is a clear priority, with staff receiving regular phonics training and children reading books “closely matched to the sounds that they know.”
• The early years curriculum is “well designed,” providing a “secure foundation for later learning” through activities like dance movements.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “swiftly identified” and receive specialist support to access the same curriculum as their peers.
• The school offers rich enrichment opportunities, including music, sport, and visits to places like Windsor Castle, which help “bring learning to life.”
• Staff morale is high, with leaders mindful of well-being and workload, creating a “strong team” that works well together.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure they are “explicit about what pupils should learn and remember in all subjects,” as this clarity is lacking in a small number of areas.
• Teachers should consistently check pupils’ understanding of important ideas to address misconceptions, as sometimes they do not verify if pupils have “fully grasped these new ideas.”
• Support for weaker readers needs to be more “sharply focused” on specific phonics aspects to strengthen reading fluency, rather than being generic.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with robust systems ensuring staff identify and support pupils at risk of harm.