Tenbury CofE Primary School

Inspection of Tenbury CofE Primary School Bromyard Road, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire WR15 8BS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Kerri Phelps. This school is part of the Diocese of Hereford Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Andrew Teale, and overseen by a board of directors, chaired by William Finn. 18 and 19 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Tenbury CofE Primary is a warm and welcoming school which fully lives out its mission statement: ‘encourage one another and build each other up’. This means pupils are very well supported and they are very happy at the school. One pupil, typical of many, stated to an inspector, ‘Tenbury Primary is a great place filled with happiness and learning.’ Pupils achieve well at the school as every child is known by the staff, and they are supported as individuals.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils invariably behave very well at the school as leaders have fully embedded their expectations. In addition, older pupils willingly take on roles to support younger pupils. In this, they model the school’s ethos fully. Pupils know that if they have a concern, they can speak to an adult who will help them to resolve things.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak very highly of the outstanding range of trips, visits and clubs that the school offers. They are very proud of their large choir which has recently performed at regional shows. They also enjoy sports such as ultimate frisbee and the girls’ and boys’ football clubs. Recent trips have included residentials and visits to local historical sites. These visits help bring the pupils’ learning to life, and they speak warmly about them.

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better?

The school has worked consistently to review its curriculum. It has taken advice from the trust and also external expertise to support this work. There is a broadly consistent approach across the subjects that pupils learn. Leaders have ensured that key knowledge is clearly identified, and teachers select appropriate activities to build on what pupils already know. Assessment is used well to spot gaps in pupils’ learning which are then addressed. Leaders have plans in place to develop pupils’ extended writing which they are rolling out.

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better?

There is effective provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities across the school. This is because leaders ensure they have a secure grasp of pupils’ needs which are accurately identified. The school liaises effectively with parents and external agencies when working with these pupils. Teachers use the information they are given to adapt the curriculum appropriately. As a result, these pupils make good progress.

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better?

Throughout the school, reading is prioritised to ensure all pupils become fluent readers. The school has reflected on its phonics programme and has introduced extra sessions to consolidate key learning, including providing extra support for pupils who need it. The programme gives pupils a strong grounding, and their subsequent learning is enriched by a wide range of core texts throughout the school’s curriculum.

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better?

The school has reviewed its curriculum for the children in the early years setting to ensure continuity between the Nursery and Reception. Pupils benefit from a 18 and 19 June 2024

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supportive learning environment with a strong focus on communication and language as they start school. Adults are well trained to support the children and enrich their interactions. Given the strengths in the provision, children achieve well and so make a strong start to key stage 1.

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Pupils invariably behave with high levels of maturity and consideration both at social times and in class. This is because they understand the school’s expectations for behaviour and they take pride in ensuring they meet them. The school takes considered and effective action for the very few pupils who might find it harder to meet these expectations.

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The school carefully considers pupils’ attendance information to ensure that patterns of absence are understood and tackled appropriately. Individual families are supported to remove barriers to their children attending school. The impact of the school’s work to improve pupils’ attendance is clear, although there remain some more vulnerable pupils who still do not attend as regularly as they should.

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Pupils’ personal development is a significant strength of the provision at Tenbury CofE Primary. Leaders have designed a considered curriculum which clearly identifies the key knowledge that the pupils need. This includes the study of other religions, visits to places of worship and thoughtful engagement with more challenging questions. This curriculum is reviewed regularly to ensure it is of high quality throughout. There are a wide range of opportunities offered by the school which leaders monitor closely to ensure all pupils, especially the more vulnerable, take advantage. Pupils speak very highly of the positions of leadership they hold in the school and the positive impact they have, for example on the school environment. Pupils are very clear on the importance of democracy and the role all pupils play in improving the school.

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Leaders at all levels understand the school’s vision and how best to achieve it. This means their analysis is incisive, and appropriate actions are taken to make improvements. Staff at all levels report high levels of satisfaction with how the school engages with them and how they benefit from opportunities for professional development through the school and trust. Those responsible for governance are committed to the school’s success and are well informed, including in relation to their statutory responsibilities. They work effectively to support and challenge leaders. The trust’s support for the school is strong in ensuring the school’s many strengths are enhanced, and all staff benefit from collaborative work with other schools.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 18 and 19 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There remain too many disadvantaged pupils who are absent from school too often. This means these pupils miss too much school and learning. The school should continue to work closely with parents and external agencies to instil the importance of regular attendance for these pupils.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 18 and 19 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Hereford. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2023. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the academic year 2027/28.  Trustees of the Diocese of Hereford Multi Academy Trust are referred to as directors.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school 18 and 19 June 2024

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and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  As a part of this inspection, the inspectors met with governors, employees of the trust, the chair of the trust, the school improvement partner, senior leaders, subject leaders, teaching staff and other employees in the school. An inspector also talked informally to pupils to gather general information about school life. The lead inspector also met with the chief executive officer who is also a trustee.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and design technology. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the

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curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work in these subjects and others.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s extra-curricular activities, enrichment programme and careers and personal development programmes with leaders and pupils.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s behaviour and attendance records with school leaders.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including plans to improve the school.  The inspectors met with members of staff and spoke to pupils, both formally and informally, at various points in the inspection. They took account of responses to a staff survey, a pupil survey, Ofsted Parent View and the free-text responses. Inspectors also talked with parents informally.

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Inspection team

Andrew Madden, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mike Onyon Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 June 2024

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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