St Mary’s was inspected by Ofsted on 9 June 2026 under the renewed inspection framework.

We are delighted that the report recognises the special character of our school and the care, ambition and commitment shown by our pupils, staff, leaders and governors.

Safeguarding standards were fully met, with inspectors recognising our open and positive culture in which safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Attendance and behaviour, inclusion, and leadership and governance were all judged to meet the expected standard.

The report describes St Mary’s as:

“A school where pupils can be themselves and feel that they belong.”

Inspectors found that “pupils feel safe” and that “staff wellbeing is high.”

The report particularly celebrates:

• our clear and positive approach to behaviour;
• respectful, cooperative and considerate pupils;
• attendance above the national average;
• the care taken to understand every child and family;
• thoughtful and effective support for children with SEND;
• leaders’ strong knowledge of safeguarding, inclusion and educational research;
• effective teamwork and positive staff relationships;
• ambitious curriculum development;
• children’s enjoyment of reading and learning;
• above-average outcomes in reading and mathematics;
• our caring and gentle Early Years provision;
• pupils’ pride in the school’s Catholic character; and
• the rich experiences children receive within Chipping and beyond.

We are especially proud that inspectors recognised how well every child is known. The report highlights that staff make time to listen whenever a child is worried and provide effective pastoral support quickly.

The inspection also identified important next steps in writing, the depth of pupils’ thinking and participation, and their understanding of fundamental British values. These priorities were already central to our school-improvement and curriculum work. We welcome the report’s clear direction and are addressing each area through our ambitious, evidence-informed curriculum review.

We are proud of how far St Mary’s has come, honest about the work still ahead and excited about our next stage of development.