An Introduction to SIAMS
SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) is the national inspection process for Church of England and Methodist schools in England. It evaluates how effectively a school’s Christian vision shapes its ethos, curriculum, relationships, and overall provision, ensuring that it enables all pupils and staff to flourish. In a primary school, a SIAMS inspection explores the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school as a Church school, focusing on areas such as collective worship, religious education, and the impact of Christian values on daily life. The inspection supports the school in reflecting on its Christian foundation and continuous improvement.
What You Need to Know
At St Katharine’s, we value transparency and communication. We strive to keep parents informed about our school’s performance and the vital role of SIAMS in ensuring we meet educational standards. Your involvement can help us make our school an even better place for your children to grow and learn.
Why It Matters
The importance of SIAMS cannot be overstated. It helps us evaluate our teaching practices and ensures that we promote a supportive atmosphere for spiritual growth. By understanding its significance, you can better appreciate our school’s dedication to improving your child’s educational experience.
Love
Truth
Forgiveness
SIAMS Inspection Summary – January 2018
In its SIAMS inspection in 2018, St Katharine’s was judged to be good in how its Christian character supports all learners. The report recognises it as “a school which values each individual and allows them to flourish.”
It notes how the Christian values of Love, Forgiveness, and Truth, introduced in 2017, are now “explicit in documentation and used in day-to-day school life.” These values have a clear impact on pupils’ attitudes and behaviour, which the inspection describes as being of “a very high standard.” Children are helped to reflect on their actions and to learn in a supportive and inclusive environment where “pupils are given fresh starts.”
The school’s partnership with the local church is “highly effective in supporting learning and enhancing worship.” Collective worship is calm, respectful, and rooted in biblical teaching. Children value these times, saying, “our school gives time to God,” and, “you can share your deepest thoughts with God.” It observes that Year 6 pupils regularly help to lead services, and events such as singing carols at a local care home show their compassion in action.
RE is described as “challenging and creative,” contributing strongly to the Christian character of the school. Lessons often include drama, art, and thoughtful writing, encouraging deep engagement. Displays across the school “challenge pupils to think deeply,” and RE “helps pupils to understand the global nature of Christianity,”including links with Gambia and other cultures.
Areas for development include making sure the “explicit Christian reasons for the school’s vision and values”are clear to everyone, increasing pupil ownership of worship, and helping teachers become more accurate in assessing RE.
St Katharine’s continues to grow as a caring Christian community where all can thrive as “unique creations of God.”
At St Katharine’s spirituality is understood as the deep human capacity to reflect, to wonder, and to seek meaning and purpose in life. It involves developing a sense of identity, belonging, and connection — to oneself, to others, to the world, and for many (but not all), to God. Spirituality is about recognising and responding to moments of awe and beauty, experiencing compassion and empathy, and engaging with questions of meaning, truth, and values. It also includes moments of challenge and even discomfort, which help us grow in understanding and resilience. Our Christian vision shapes how we nurture the spiritual life of every child and adult, rooted in love, truth and forgiveness and the belief that each person is uniquely created and valued by God. While we as adults, can articulate this, we understand that children may focus on feeling it and part of our role is to give them the time and language to begin to express these deeper thoughts and emotions as they journey through the highs and lows of their lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions Answered About SIAMS
SIAMS evaluates the effectiveness of Church of England and Methodist schools as church schools, specifically focusing on the impact of the school’s Christian vision on pupils and adults. This includes assessing how well the school’s Christian character ensures the development and achievement of the whole child.
SIAMS reviews occur approximately every five years, but schools can be inspected more frequently based on their specific circumstances and progress. Our next review is due in 2025/2026.
After the review, we receive a report outlining our strengths and areas for improvement.
If you have more questions about SIAMS and how it affects our school, please conact Mrs Veneziani, who is the subject leader for RE, or Miss Tormey.
You can support your child’s learning by engaging in conversations about their spiritual education and encouraging their participation in school activities related to faith and community service.
