Bredon Hancock's Endowed CofE First School

Inspection of Bredon Hancock’s Endowed C of E First School Church Street, Bredon, Church St, Bredon, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 7LA

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since November 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bredon Hancock’s Endowed Church of England First School is a welcoming school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend well. Positive relationships are a feature of this inclusive school. There is a shared understanding of the school’s vision. The school has high expectations for pupils. Pupils work hard to meet these and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show high levels of tolerance and respect. They report that ‘everyone has the same rights and is treated the same’. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and behave well. They learn how to stay safe online and in the wider community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years have an excellent start to their education. They develop positive learning behaviours, independence and resilience. Children concentrate on tasks for sustained periods of time. They interact well with each other and thrive in a vibrant learning environment. Children are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on meaningful leadership roles in the school. They value having the opportunity to make an impact in the school and the community. For example, pupils in the school council wrote to the local authority requesting a pedestrian crossing near the school to make it safer to cross the road.

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

The school has designed an ambitious and coherent curriculum. It enables pupils to build their knowledge progressively. Staff check what pupils know and understand at the beginning of each lesson. What the school calls ‘flashbacks’ helps pupils to consolidate their understanding of the curriculum. The curriculum is designed to develop pupils’ curiosity about the world. It makes links to the local area. The school has considered what pupils should know by the time they leave the school. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

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

The school’s curriculum meets the needs of all pupils well. Subject content is broken down into steps of learning. Learning is adapted successfully to enable all pupils to progress through the curriculum. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the curriculum alongside their peers. The implementation of the curriculum is consistent across the school. Staff understand and follow the school’s policies in mathematics. As a result, pupils access new learning and practice, and then apply this to mathematical problems. Staff regularly check pupils’ understanding of the curriculum. This information is then used to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning. Teaching is then routinely built on what pupils already know.

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

Some aspects of the wider curriculum are not yet well established. It is not yet clear where links can be made within and across subjects. As a result, pupils do not yet make connections between their current and previous learning. Therefore, pupils do not build their knowledge of the curriculum as well as they could. 12 and 13 November 2024

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. There is a sharp focus on developing children’s communication and language skills in the early years. This helps them to gain the vocabulary they need for future learning. All staff have the expertise to ensure that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics and reading. The school regularly checks pupils’ phonics knowledge and identifies those who need extra support. These pupils receive the help they need. Reading books match pupils’ phonics knowledge accurately. This supports pupils to read with fluency. Teachers read and discuss high-quality texts with their classes. As a result, pupils develop their reading skills and a passion for reading.

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The school’s curriculum for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. They talk confidently about what British values mean and how they relate to their own lives. Pupils understand about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. The school prepares pupils well for their future careers. For example, older pupils assume school roles in the annual ‘takeover’ day. Pupils enjoy taking on roles in school for the day. For example, pupils work in the school office or work as teachers for the day. This teaches pupils to take responsibility and raises their aspirations.

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Staff appreciate the steps that the school takes to support their well-being and workload. They are proud to work at the school. Governors know the school’s strengths and priorities well. They provide appropriate support and challenge to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not fully identified where links can be made within and across different subjects in the curriculum. As a result, pupils do not gain the depth of understanding they require to make connections between their current and prior learning. The school should ensure that pupils can make connections between their prior and current learning in all subjects so that they can deepen their knowledge of the curriculum.

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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. 12 and 13 November 2024

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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 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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 November 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in January 2020. The next inspection will be within five years of the last section 48 inspection.  The school does not use any 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. 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, assistant headteacher and special educational needs coordinator. The inspectors also met with a range of teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body.  The lead inspector held conversations with representatives from the Diocese of Worcester and the local authority.  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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics

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and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to some parents before and after school. The inspectors also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Matt Fletcher, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Maggie Spence Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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