Tewkesbury Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Tewkesbury Church of England Primary School Chance Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 5RQ

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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 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is welcoming, inclusive and nurturing. The school prioritises pupils’ well-being and cares deeply for pupils. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils to achieve well. It provides a broad range of experiences that deepen pupils’ understanding. For example, pupils enjoy dressing as evacuees when finding out about life in the Second World War. Children in the early years are eager to visit the market to choose healthy ingredients to make soup. The school provides a wealth of opportunities to develop pupils’ talents. Pupils learn sculpture and weaving. They enjoy trying out archery, drama and participating in the choir.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are a credit to the school. They are polite, friendly and sociable. Pupils follow the golden rules, ‘Be ready, be safe and be respectful’. They enjoy school and have consistently positive attitudes to their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents typically comment that the school goes above and beyond for their children and helps them to thrive.

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

The school provides a broad and ambitious curriculum in all subjects. The curriculum is designed well. It identifies the key knowledge and skills it expects pupils to learn. Most pupils achieve well.

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

Children in the early years get off to a flying start in reading. The school prioritises the development of children’s communication and language in pre-school. Children learn phonics as soon as they start school. Teachers deliver phonics skilfully and check pupils’ learning well. Pupils read regularly, which improves their confidence and fluency. Pupils who find reading difficult have extra practice. This helps them to read more accurately. Pupils love choosing books from the library and listening to stories that adults read to them.

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

Staff have secure subject knowledge. They explain and model new skills well. Pupils revisit learning, to secure their knowledge and skills. For example, in French, pupils rehearse sentences to help them to remember the language. Children in the early years learn to use words such as ‘part’ and ‘whole’ correctly to develop their mathematical vocabulary. Children swirl paintbrushes in ‘snow’ to help them to write.

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

The school adapts the curriculum effectively to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils who speak English as an additional language are provided with effective support that helps them to progress through the curriculum successfully.

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

However, in a minority of subjects, the school’s checks on pupils’ learning do not routinely identify if pupils have gained the knowledge the school expects them to. As a result, some pupils, including pupils with SEND, have gaps in their learning. 3 and 4 December 2024

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Pupils know what the school expects of them and they behave well. Pupils are enthusiastic learners and enjoy becoming absorbed in their learning. Children in the early years listen carefully and follow routines well. For example, they sustain their concentration when weighing dough and creating gingerbread men.

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Pastoral support is strong. Staff form caring relationships with pupils. Pupils trust adults to look after them. If pupils have any concerns, they talk to adults or use the ‘worry box’ system. A minority of pupils who find it tricky to manage their emotions appropriately are given extra help. This helps pupils to understand how to become calm and to reduce anxieties.

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The school works closely with families to support pupils’ welfare. This has a positive impact. For instance, some pupils with previously low attendance now come to school more regularly. However, sometimes the school does not know the impact of its actions to improve pupils’ behaviour and attendance. This limits how well the school understands what is working, or what needs to improve.

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The school supports pupils’ personal development effectively. For example, older pupils take on positions of responsibility, such as librarians and play leaders. Pupils hold cake sales to raise money for charity. They donate harvest produce to a local foodbank. Pupils learn to manage risks and work as a team. For example, older pupils try abseiling and raft-building on residential trips.

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Leaders and staff work together well to secure school improvement. The school has made effective use of support from the local authority and governors. Staff morale is high, because staff feel valued and well supported. Staff typically comment that, ‘It feels like a family here, where we all help each other.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of subjects, the school does not routinely check if pupils have secured the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. As a result, some pupils, including pupils with SEND, have gaps in their learning. The school should embed rigorous assessment in all subjects, to enable staff to identify and address any gaps in learning, so that pupils are consistently supported to achieve their best.  The school does not check the impact of its actions to support pupils’ welfare, attendance and behaviour as thoroughly as it could. As a result, the school does not know what actions are most effective for pupils. The school should check the 3 and 4 December 2024

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effectiveness of its work to support pupils and to assure itself that actions are making a positive difference.

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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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up the post of headteacher in September 2024. Prior to this, he held the role of interim headteacher and was supported by an executive headteacher for two years. Some other leaders have taken on their roles within the last year.  The school is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in January 2018. The next inspection should take place before January 2026.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school operates its own pre-school provision for two-, three- and four-year olds.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for pupils.

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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 3 and 4 December 2024

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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 held meetings with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Inspectors also held meetings with other leaders, including the early years foundation stage leader and the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).  The inspectors held meetings with members of the governing body. They also had a meeting with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about

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their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in other subjects.  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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at various times during the day, including breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils and staff and spoke to some parents to gather their views. They reviewed the responses to the online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, along with the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Catherine Beeks, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Stoaling Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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