St. Matthew's was judged outstanding in it's SIAS inspection in November 2015. The school achieved the top grade in all four areas of the inspection - Christian distinctiveness, leadership and management, collective worship and teaching and learning in RE.

All of this teaching and learning is our way of preparing children to be hopeful and confident so they leave us ready to cope with the next stage of their lives. This is reflected in our school vision.

In the final report, the inspector wrote:

The Christian character of St. Matthew’s Primary school contributes very strongly to the academic achievement and personal development of all its learners. Standards of academic progress and attainment are high when compared with national figures.

St. Matthew’s has extremely caring pupils who support each other in all aspects of school life. The school accurately describes itself as a happy, stable and secure place where children grow and flourish.The concept of forgiveness and reconciliation is central to behaviour management and there is a focus on developing rather than punishment. This results in a culture of praise and reward throughout the school.

The contribution of high quality experiences in religious education (RE) and collective worship supports pupils with their own spiritual development.Collective Worship is an outstanding strength of St. Matthew’s and forms a central part ofeach day. Detailed planning and prominent displays support the reinforcement of the worshipthemes. Pupils value worship as a special time and confidently describe how it impacts on their daily lives.

A copy of the full report is below.