St Katharine’s CofE Primary School is celebrating a highly positive Ofsted report, with the education watchdog concluding that “The school is calm and harmonious. Staff weave the school values of ‘friendship and respect’ throughout the day. These guide pupils successfully in all they do.” The report placed St Katharine’s in ‘Expected Standard’ or ‘Strong Standard’ in all categories, which demonstrates the school’s accomplishment in meeting Ofsted’s high expectations to deliver a strong, reliable education within its new framework.

The leaders at St Katharine’s are praised for their calm and positive demeanour, which has helped to create “a culture of belonging that pupils and families value highly.” The report which describes pupils’ behaviour as exemplary, reflects the welcoming and respectful environment that staff, children and families work together to maintain.

St Katharine’s carefully designed ‘ambitious’ curriculum for all year groups and mixed-age classes has been enhanced since the last inspection, with praise for its “clear endpoints” which build “logically on what has already been taught and learned”.

Pupils at St Katharine’s also embrace the wider curriculum: “From singing in the local church to meeting authors at a literature festival, the school strives to make learning engaging and memorable. Pupils enjoy all the school has to offer and take pride in their achievements.”

Niki Jones, Principal at St Katharine’s CofE Primary School comments: “I am extremely proud of our school community, the strengths of which have been so eloquently highlighted in this report. I appreciate that the new inspection framework and terminology signifies a change for us all, but rather than the former single-word judgement, we have been praised highly in each of the individual categories, with equally glowing comments to match.”

Claire Mirams, Director of Primary Improvement at Excalibur Academies Trust adds: “We are absolutely delighted with the content of this report. It captures the happy, caring and purposeful school we know St Katharine’s to be, and it reflects the dedication of staff, the support of families, and the joy with which children come to school each day. St Katharine’s team are a joy to work with and such an asset to Excalibur.”

Nick Lewis, CEO of Excalibur Academies Trust concludes: “This report is a testament to the dedication, care, and close-knit community that make St Katharine’s such a special place. I warmly invite everyone to read the report, and even more, to come and see for themselves the friendly environment, high-quality teaching, and charming setting that make the school truly wonderful.”