High Littleton CofE VC Primary School

Inspection of High Littleton CofE VC Primary School Church Hill, High Littleton, Bristol BS39 6HF

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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

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

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The headteacher of this school is Gareth Griffith. This school is part of Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Alun Williams, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anthony Wells.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected High Littleton CofE VC Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged High Littleton CofE VC Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 21 and 22 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this school. It is a hive of activity where all have a shared sense of purpose. Pupils feel safe and welcome. They thrive academically and socially.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils meet the high expectations that school has of them. They are keen to learn as much as they can, eagerly contributing to lessons and the wider school. Pupils are respectful of staff and peers. All ages work and play together harmoniously. They are kind to each other and know how to manage their feelings.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ lives are enriched by experiences such as outdoor education and participation in live theatre and music. Leadership roles, sporting competitions, creative events and a vast array of clubs provide pupils with a multitude of opportunities to develop their interests, talents and character.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Personal development is integral to all aspects of the curriculum. For example, class reading books expose pupils to the experiences of people whose lives are different from their own. Pupils have a strong appreciation of the challenges that some people face due to things such as their gender or race. They admire the positive contributions made by those who have challenged injustice or have come to Britain from other countries.

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

Pupils achieve well. They consistently produce work that is of high quality. Pupils are proud of what they achieve and are eager to make their work even better. They make connections between subjects. This helps them to they gain a deep knowledge across the curriculum.

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

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) promptly. Teachers adapt the curriculum to ensure that pupils with SEND make the best possible progress through the curriculum.

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

The curriculum is highly ambitious. It is well sequenced so that pupils can build on the strong knowledge they have gained in previous years. All aspects of the curriculum develop pupils’ vocabulary. Even the very youngest children use sophisticated vocabulary when talking and writing.

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

All staff explain new learning clearly and answer pupils’ questions thoroughly. Pupils’ understanding is checked carefully before they move on to more complex learning. In early years, children develop their language and social skills as they complete the variety of exciting activities available to them. Pupils of all ages love the many opportunities to 21 and 22 January 2025

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share their ideas and discuss learning. They are inquisitive and value the opinions of others and the knowledge of staff.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exceptionally positive. They listen attentively to staff and to each other. Learning is not interrupted or delayed. Pupils concentrate on acquiring the new knowledge that staff intend for them to learn.

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Children begin to learn letter sounds as soon as they start at the school. Staff are experts at teaching early reading. Children at the early stages of reading have ‘sharing’ books that build their love of reading, as well as books that they can read themselves. Staff identify any pupil who is struggling to keep up with reading and provide highly effective rapid support. This means pupils rarely need help to catch up, because they do not fall behind.

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Pupils have a strong understanding of democracy and the rule of law. They understand that it is important to treat everyone fairly and to value one another. They know that this underpins what it means to be a good citizen in modern Britain. Pupils vote on many aspects of school life and their views are valued.

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Pupils make a tangible contribution to their peers. For instance, pupils in Year 1 and Year 6 help new children to settle into the Reception class as role models or ‘buddies’. ‘Happy Helpers’ support younger children with both social and practical skills at lunchtimes. Pupils are eager to help one another both in class, and around the school. Exceptionally strong relationships between pupils underpin the harmonious and supportive environment at the school.

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Staff are universally positive about the school. Leaders support them by removing unnecessary workload. This enables them to focus on maintaining consistently high standards of education and pastoral support for pupils.

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Governors and trustees have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and leaders’ priorities for development. They have the expertise they need to support and challenge the school on its tireless journey to provide every pupil with the strongest possible foundations for their futures.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 High Littleton CofE VC Primary School opened in August 2014. When its predecessor school, High Littleton CofE VC Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness.  This is a Church of England school, within the diocese of Bath and Wells. The most recent inspection under section 48 of the education act took place in 2019; the next should take place by 2027. Section 48 inspections focus on the impact of a Church school’s Christian vision.

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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. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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.  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.  An inspector met with governors and trustees and with staff from the multi-academy trust, including the CEO.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online surveys. Inspectors also spoke to pupils and staff in meetings and around the school site.

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography.  For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also reviewed curriculum plans, held discussions with leaders and talked to pupils about their learning in other subjects including personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, art and physical education.

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Inspection team

Sarah Favager-Dalton, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Sean McKeown Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

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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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