St Mary’s is a welcoming and inclusive school where pupils thrive. Pupils are happy. They enjoy positive relationships with staff and peers alike. There is a respectful warmth that spreads through the school. Pupils appreciate that their small school has big ambitions for them to achieve well. They relish the wealth of leadership and enrichment opportunities available to them. Pupils take their peer mentoring responsibilities seriously, too. This includes modelling good manners to younger pupils in the dining hall. Over time, pupils’ achievements in external tests have exceeded national averages. Pupils learn well due to the ambitious and well-taught curriculum. Children in the early years swiftly learn the routines of the setting. They are quick to settle to activities. Children also show respect and focus when engaging in a variety of tasks. Pupils enjoy numerous extra-curricular opportunities. They take part in daily clubs, including drama, sport, well-being and choir. Pupils also apply for positions in the ‘Climate Change Team’. Through these, they plan and put in place a wide variety of initiatives. For example, pupils were inspired by a trip to a recycling centre. As a result, they created a ‘litter bug’ group that picks up litter in school and in the local community. These rich opportunities contribute exceptionally well to pupils’ personal development.