Inspection Reports
At St Stephen's School, we are proud of our children and staff, and we are grateful for our supportive families.
Ofsted
Following our inspection under the new Ofsted framework in February, it has been recognised that children feel safe and are nurtured, and that parents describe school as 'a family'.
The report highlights our commitment to providing a safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environment where every child is supported to thrive. We are especially pleased that inspectors recognised our inclusive ethos, and the positive behaviour and attitudes of our pupils.
We invite parents, carers, and visitors to read the full report below to learn more about what makes our school a positive and supportive place for children to learn and grow, and to see the areas where we are working hard to improve.
Here are some of the positive things Ofsted observed at St Stephen's:
Highly inclusive school culture
Staff know pupils and families well, enabling early identification of barriers to learning. "Leaders have established a highly inclusive school culture... Staff know pupils and their families well... And leaders are committed to fostering a sense of belonging."
Strong support for pupils with SEND
SEND pupils are supported with well-designed support plans. "Pupils with SEND benefit from carefully considered support plans... And experience a range of interventions, both academic and pastoral, to support pupils to fully access school life."
Effective use of funding for disadvantaged pupils
Funding is used thoughtfully to support academic and pastoral needs. "Leaders ensure that funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively."
Strong relationships with families and community
Parents describe the school as caring and family-like, and community links are strong. "Parents describe the school as 'caring' and 'like a family'. They know that their children are well cared for."
Warm, nurturing Early Years environment
Children are settled, behave well, and benefit from strong language-rich interactions. "Staff create a warm, nurturing environment... Children are happy and settled."
Letter to parents re Ofsted 17.4.26
Section 48 Inspection
We have recently been graded as Good with Outstanding Catholic Life and Mission in our Section 48 Diocesan Inspection (May 2026). Our school has been recognised as having the following strengths:
- The school demonstrates exceptional commitment to supporting vulnerable pupils and their families, consistently exceeding expectations to meet their needs.
- Parish links within the school community are extremely strong and greatly appreciated by parents, staff, pupils and other stakeholders.
- The headteacher provides inspirational leadership that drives the school forward purposefully, uniting the whole community, in a way that is highly valued and respected by all stakeholders.
- Pupils' behaviour in religious education lessons, and in unstructured situations around school is exemplary.
- Pupils actively engage in planning, leading and delivering prayer and liturgy in a very effective manner.
Our latest report can be accessed below: