SIAMS

The Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) is the Church of England and Methodist Church’s outworking of the requirements of section 48 of the Education Act 2005.

Our SIAMS Inspection

Ashford St Mary’s is a welcoming and inclusive school. There is a clear culture of wellbeing and living well together. Staff empower pupils to shine their light, whatever that might be.

Sam Killick (SIAMS inspector, November 2025)

SIAMS REPORT - NOVEMBER 2025.pdf

Ashford St Mary’s Church of England Primary School was inspected by SIAMS in April 2018 and was graded 'Outstanding'. Schools are no longer graded in the same way but our most recent SIAMS inspection report (November 2025) shows that have made considerable improvements in a range of areas and have maintained the highest feasible standard for a church school.

SIAMS Inspection: general information

Inspectors make one of two judgements:

The inspection findings indicate that the school is living up to its foundation as a Church school, and is enabling pupils and adults to flourish.

The inspection findings indicate that the school has strengths, but that there are also issues that leaders need to address as a matter of priority.

The Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) process has been devised by the National Society to standardise inspection practices and judgements in all Church of England and Methodist Schools and to meet the requirements of Section 48 of the Education Act 2005.

SIAMS inspection focuses on the impact of the Church school’s Christian vision on pupils and adults. This involves looking at the school’s Christian vision, the provision the school makes because of this vision and how effective this provision is in enabling all pupils to flourish. Church schools will employ a variety of strategies and styles appropriate to, and reflective of, their particular context in order to be distinctively and effectively Christian in their character and ethos. SIAMS inspectors therefore do not look for a set template of what a Church school should be like, but rather take the particular context of the school into account and base their evaluation on the outcomes rather than the process.

The Evaluation Schedule has one inspection question: How effective is the school’s distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to flourish? This is explored through seven different strands. One overall grade is awarded reflecting the contribution of these strands to the flourishing of pupils and adults in a Church school. In addition a standalone grade is awarded in all schools for collective worship and in voluntary aided (VA) schools and former VA schools for religious education (RE). This grade is based on teaching and learning alone.

SIAMS 'strands'

SIAMS explores ways in which each school’s theologically rooted Christian vision drives its work and enables the school to live up to its foundation as a Church school. It does so by seeking to answer six or (in the case of Voluntary Aided schools) seven Inspection Questions (IQs).

IQ1: How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision enable pupils and adults to flourish?
IQ2: How does the curriculum reflect the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision?
IQ3: How is collective worship enabling pupils and adults to flourish spiritually?
IQ4: How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision create a culture in which pupils and adults are treated well?
IQ5: How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision create an active culture of justice and responsibility?
IQ6: Is the religious education curriculum effective (with reference to the expectations set out in the Church of England’s Statement of Entitlement for Religious Education)?
IQ7: What is the quality of religious education in voluntary aided and former voluntary aided schools, and in former voluntary controlled schools in which denominational religious education is taught?

SIAMS inspection focuses on the impact of the Church school's Christian vision on pupils and adults. This involves looking at the school’s Christian vision, the provision the school makes because of this vision and how effective this provision is in enabling all pupils to flourish. Church schools will employ a variety of strategies and styles appropriate to, and reflective of, their particular context in order to be distinctively and effectively Christian in their character and ethos. SIAMS inspectors therefore do not look for a set template of what a Church school should be like, but rather take the particular context of the school into account and base their evaluation on the outcomes rather than the process.