Bathford Church School

Inspection of Bathford Church School Dovers Park, Bathford, Bath, Somerset BA1 7UB

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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

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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 Becky Hayter. 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), Nikki Edwards and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Pamela Cosh.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Bathford Church School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Bathford Church 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 enjoy coming to this happy and inclusive school, where staff create a feeling of belonging successfully. Consequently, pupils attend regularly. They know they can speak to any of the caring adults and be listened to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils aim to be the ‘best they can be’ in line with the school’s vision. Pupils rise to the high expectations the school has of them. They achieve well across a wide range of subjects. Pupils understand the school’s values of ‘grow, care, serve, share’. Typically, pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning and want to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value having a meaningful voice at Bathford Church School. For example, pupils are given the opportunity to make key decisions, such as to change the name of the school houses to reflect significant people who are important to them. Pupils are empowered to follow their interests. For example, setting up and running their own chess club. Pupils relish the many opportunities on offer beyond the curriculum. Their favourites include story, dance and adventure club. Pupils have an insightful understanding of equalities. They understand it is unfair to treat people differently just because they are not the same. As a result, pupils leave the school prepared for the wider world.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum, that sets out what pupils should learn and in what order, starting from the early years. Teachers use regular recaps of prior learning to help pupils link previous knowledge to new learning. This means that pupils can talk about what they have learned. For example, pupils recall what they know about fractions from a long time ago with confidence. Staff check how effectively the curriculum is taught and adjust the curriculum to suit what pupils need. Consequently, pupils learn the curriculum well.

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

Children learn to read as soon as they start school. They are taught by well-trained staff, who regularly check how securely pupils are learning the curriculum. Children’s reading books match the sounds they are confident to read. This helps them to develop fluency and a love for reading. This love is instilled through carefully chosen books. Older pupils enjoy the independence of being members of a mobile library.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same curriculum as their peers. Their needs are identified quickly. Staff make useful adaptations to support them in lessons. This helps them to learn the curriculum alongside their peers.

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

In many subjects, pupils build their knowledge well over time. This is because the school has made clear how subjects should be taught. For example, staff teach important words in the early years to help children develop a sense of place and where they live. The curriculum sets out carefully the knowledge pupils need to learn to become proficient writers. However, some pupils’ understanding of basic skills in writing is not secure. This is because, on occasion, the teaching of letter formation has lacked precision. Some staff do 21 and 22 January 2025

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not spot and address misconceptions as they arise and so pupils make repeated mistakes. This means some pupils are not fluent and confident in their writing skills. They are not ready to move on to more complex writing activities.

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Pupils understand the school’s clear rules and routines. During social times, pupils play well together across year groups. The school provides effective support for any pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour. It takes robust action to ensure it focuses on improving pupils’ attendance. As a result, the rate of attendance has increased.

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The school’s approach to the wider development of pupils is excellent. Pupils benefit from an array of carefully selected rich experiences to develop their interests and knowledge of the curriculum. For example, pupils attend the local literature festival to further spark their love of reading. They immerse themselves in history by spending a day as a child from the Victorian era. Pupils understand deeply the importance of fundamental British values, such as the rule of law. They make pertinent connections between different religions. For example, pupils explain thoughtfully that most religions are ancient and usually have a higher power than humans. Pupils understand the difference they can have on the school community. For example, ‘digital leaders’ support computing lessons in younger year groups. This has led to increased self-confidence.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate how leaders and the trust have considered their workload, alongside the work to develop the curriculum. Those responsible for governance hold leaders to account diligently for the quality of education. Together, the school, trust and those responsible for governance are ambitious for every pupil to achieve their potential.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff do not identify and correct errors in pupils’ writing and so these misconceptions can persist. As a result, some pupils’ writing transcription knowledge is not securely embedded. The trust should ensure that all staff consistently address transcription misconceptions with pupils acting on feedback, so they can build fluency and precision in their writing.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher took up post in September 2020.  The school joined the Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust in April 2018.  The school is designated as having a religious character. The school is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school was carried out in February 2019. The school should receive its next section 48 inspection within five school years.  There is a before- and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not currently 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 21 and 22 January 2025

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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 met with the headteacher, school staff, parents, pupils, representatives from the trust, including the deputy CEO, chair of the board of trustees and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to a selection of pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a

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familiar adult.  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 in lessons and around the school, including at lunchtime and breaktimes. In addition, the inspectors met with pupils formally and informally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also looked at responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Lakmini Harkus, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Fox 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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