St Georges Church School

Inspection of St Georges Church School Pastures Avenue, St Georges, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset BS22 7SA

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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The headteacher of this school is Jo Thorn. This school is part of The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Nicola Edwards, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Oliver Cofler. 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly, welcoming school. They understand how the school values ‘motivate’ them and help them to believe in themselves. The school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. Most pupils meet these expectations. They show positive attitudes, work hard and achieve well in most subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has clear systems in place to promote positive behaviour. This starts in Nursery where children listen carefully and respond well to the routines that are in place. Across the school, pupils are polite and well mannered. Most understand and follow the school rules well. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere in and outside the classroom.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and cared for. Relationships between pupils and adults are warm and respectful. Pupils trust adults to listen and help them with any worries or concerns that may arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate taking part in a range of trips, such as visits to a local activity centre. They are eager to take on leadership responsibilities, which include being house captains and becoming members of the ‘crew’. They talk about how these roles help them to build a school community and enable them to lead discussions about topics, such as Remembrance Day.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has a clear vision for what all pupils can achieve. With the support of the trust, the new leadership team has brought stability to the school following a period of turbulence. The school’s curriculum makes clear the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn, and when, from the early years to Year 6.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has put in place systems to evaluate the impact of its actions. In many areas, these are well used to improve the quality of education that pupils receive. For example, the school was quick to analyse why recent outcomes in spelling, punctuation and grammar in Year 6 were not as strong as expected. Pupils now have more opportunities to apply this knowledge and there is evidence that pupils’ writing is improving. However, at times, staff do not use these systems as effectively as they could. This prevents them from fully understanding what is working well and addressing any shortcomings that exist.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is a priority for the school. Children in Nursery develop a love of stories from the moment they start. Pupils learn to read through a carefully sequenced phonics programme. Most pupils learn and remember new sounds well. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them to catch up quickly. Older pupils read a range of texts with increasing fluency, accuracy and expression.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In most subjects, pupils learn well. In mathematics, for example, staff model new ideas effectively. They ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need. Where appropriate, learning is adapted. As a 5 and 6 November 2024

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result, most pupils with SEND learn the curriculum as well as their peers. Teachers routinely check on what pupils know and remember. This helps pupils build their knowledge well over time. For example, children in Reception Year confidently describe the properties of a triangle. Older pupils use their knowledge of multiplication when solving problems involving fractions. However, in some wider curriculum subjects, the checks that staff make are less effective. While pupils can discuss their current learning, they struggle to make links to what they have learned before. This prevents them from building a depth of knowledge over time.

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Pupils enjoy their learning and are keen to do well. This starts in the early years. Children take turns and share their ideas eagerly. During social times, pupils of all ages behave well and enjoy the opportunities they have to play together.

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The school tracks pupils’ attendance with rigor. If attendance falls, it works closely with parents and carers to bring about the necessary improvement. Most pupils attend school regularly because of this.

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The school’s personal development offer is an integral part of its work. Pupils understand the importance of equal rights and tolerance for other cultures and faiths. They develop a mature understanding of the difference between a healthy and unhealthy relationship. Pupils develop their character by raising money for local charities. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Trustees and members of the local governing committee know the school well. They hold the school to account for its actions and fulfil their statutory duties effectively. Staff enjoy working at the school. They appreciate the training they receive which helps them to develop their practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, assessment is not used sufficiently well to check that pupils have remembered the knowledge they have been taught. As a result, some pupils have gaps in what they know and do not build their knowledge well over time. The trust should ensure that teachers use assessment effectively across all subjects and use this information to inform future learning.  In some areas, the impact of the curriculum is not evaluated well enough. As a result, the school is not clear as to how well pupils build their knowledge over time. The trust needs to ensure that all aspects of its work is evaluated effectively so that it can address any shortcomings and build on the strengths that already exist. 5 and 6 November 2024

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 April 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been changes to senior leadership and staffing since the last inspection. The current headteacher has been in post since May 2022.  The school is a Church of England/Methodist school, within the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The last section 48 inspection took place in November 2023.  The school has pre-school provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds.  The school uses two unregistered alternative provisions.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. They also met with groups of staff and pupils, the assistant director of education from the trust, and representatives from the local governing committee.  The lead inspector met with the deputy CEO and held a telephone conversation with the chair and vice chair of trustees. He also held a telephone conversation with a representative from the Methodist Academies Schools Trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, and

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art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  An inspector spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, they spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the online Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Tustain Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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