St Mary’s infant school achieves Ofsted’s highest rating: OUTSTANDING

Staff and pupils at St Mary’s infant school in Marlborough went back after the Easter break to find a very welcome communication from Ofsted:  the school has been judged as ‘Outstanding’, which is the school inspectors’ highest rating.

St Mary’s Church of England infant school earned this top grade in all five areas the inspectors looked at during their visit in March: leadership and management, behaviour and safety of pupils, quality of teaching, achievement of pupils and early years provision.

After its previous inspection in 2009, Ofsted rated St Mary’s as ‘Good’.

In their summary report the inspectors said: “Outstanding teaching has been effective in ensuring that pupils of all abilities make rapid progress.”  And they highlighted the school’s ethos: “Pupils’ outstanding achievement is underpinned by the school’s distinctive spiritual, moral and cultural provision.”

The Head Teacher, Anne Schwodler, is very excited by the report:  “We are thrilled with the result and to achieve “Outstanding” in all five areas inspected is a wonderful accolade for the school. St Mary’s is a fabulous school and I am delighted to be a part of such a great team of dedicated staff and governors and of course our fantastic children.”

The inspectors looked at learning in 16 lessons and saw the work of seven teachers.  Teaching assistants were seen working with individual pupils and with small groups.  Inspectors attended an assembly, talked to pupils about their work and life at school and heard pupils from Year 1 and Year 2 read.  

“The school has a strong reading culture.  Pupils say that the school attaches great importance to their learning to read well, and they thoroughly enjoy the books teachers share with them.”

The inspectors report that all St Mary’s children are eager to learn.  They “…behave extremely well because teachers plan challenging and memorable experiences.  Pupils’ above average attendance reflects their enjoyment of school.”

The Ofsted inspectors found that one of the cornerstones of the school’s success is the outstanding early years teaching – although it notes that many children join the Reception Class with skills that are much lower than usual.  However: “An above average number reach a good level of development by the end of the year, preparing them extremely well for Year 1.”

St Mary’s and St Peter’s have agreed to become one school when they move into the new primary school that will be built just behind St Mary’s existing buildings.  Anne Schwodler told Marlborough News Online: “The Ofsted report is a great foundation for our amalgamation with St Peter’s.”  The new school is due to open late in 2016.

St Mary’s is smaller than the average infant school with a roll of 142 pupils. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is much higher than in most schools.

The Ofsted report makes special mention of the school’s ‘resource base’ which caters for ten children with complex needs.  Places for this are allocated by Wiltshire Council, but it is led and managed by the school.

The inspectors reported: “Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including those in the resource base, are exceptionally well supported by highly skilled teachers and teaching assistants…As a result of excellent teaching and support they make the same rapid progress, from their various starting points, as all other pupils in the school.”



“A comment in a letter from a parent sums up this excellent provision: ‘My child has blossomed and is making great steps at spending time in the mainstream class … and … is moving forward with speech, social skills, eating and physical skills, in a friendly and caring environment’.”

The report notes the extra funding for sports: “Parents commented that pupils’ physical skills, energy levels and coordination have all improved because of the increased range of sports teachers are now able to offer. Pupils really enjoy the early morning ‘Wake and Shake’ sessions.”

What, these reports always ask, does the school need to do to improve further?  Instead of the usual long list,they came up with just one point:  “Provide opportunities for pupils to develop a stronger understanding of the many different cultures that exist today in modern Britain.”