Whitchurch CofE Primary School

Inspection of Whitchurch CofE Primary School Whitchurch, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6DA

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good 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 2012. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Whitchurch CofE Primary School is a welcoming and inclusive school. The school has high expectations and pupils work hard to meet these, achieving well. Children receive an excellent start to their education from the moment they begin in early years. They develop enquiring minds and build their independence from a very young age.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. This begins in early years, where children quickly learn and follow daily routines. The majority of pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They demonstrate the school’s values of trust, kindness and friendship in their everyday interactions with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. Relationships are strong between adults and pupils. As a result, pupils are confident to share any worries with their named trusted adults. There is a culture of support and kindness to others. Staff are passionate in ensuring that every pupil’s individual needs are met.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has designed a curriculum which aims to encourage pupils’ curiosity and build resilience. One pupil reflected the views of others stating, ‘teachers help us to learn but they encourage us to work things out for ourselves’. Pupils enjoy taking ownership of their learning, which helps them to be independent.

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

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. It is sequenced well to ensure that pupils build their knowledge over time. There is a consistent structure for reading and mathematics lessons across the school. Pupils revisit prior learning each day, access new learning and then practise. Teachers present information clearly for pupils. Pupils’ understanding is checked carefully to provide support, or to move learning forwards. However, on occasion misconceptions are not addressed quickly. This means that errors or misunderstandings are sometimes repeated.

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

The school’s mixed-age class structure means that pupils take different pathways as they move through the school. They do not all stay in the same cohorts. Leaders understand the challenge this presents with pupils covering different aspects of the curriculum at different times, depending on the pathway they take. The school is working hard to manage this and tracks pupils’ journeys through the curriculum very closely. In many subjects this has been addressed to ensure pupils gain a broad set of knowledge and skills. For example, in each art unit pupils design, plan and create a final piece. They talk knowledgeably about artists they have studied and their work. For example, pupils describe the inspiration William Morris gained from nature and how this was used to create wallpaper. Current revisions to the curriculum are underway. This is to ensure it is equally well developed in all aspects.

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

The school acts quickly to identify pupils’ needs. This means pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need from the time they start school. Learning is adapted successfully to enable pupils to progress through 25 and 26 March 2025

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the curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. The school has created a highly nurturing environment where every pupil is welcome and accesses the same opportunities.

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. 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’ phonic knowledge and identifies those who need extra support. These pupils receive the help they need to catch up quickly. Reading books match pupils’ phonics knowledge accurately. This supports pupils to read with fluency.

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Early years provision is exceptional. Staff get to know children as individuals. They use this knowledge to tailor learning through the engaging provision. 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. Children develop excellent learning behaviours. They concentrate on tasks for sustained periods of time.

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Pupils learn additional skills and knowledge through the school’s well-devised personal development programme. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They understand the importance of demonstrating tolerance and respect to others. Pupils are taught how to stay safe online and in the wider community. They know how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and mentally. Pupil leadership roles are meaningful. For example, the Parliament School regularly show visitors around the school. They are part of the interview process for new staff.

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Staff are very proud to work at the school. They feel well supported by school leaders and morale is high. Governors know the school’s strengths and areas for improvement well. They provide appropriate support and challenge to the school. The majority of parents and carers are positive about the school.

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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, the curriculum is not implemented in the way the school intends. As a result, pupils do not always have the opportunity to make connections between the learning they build in these subjects. The school should ensure that the continued development of the curriculum allows all pupils to deepen their knowledge of the curriculum in all subjects.  Checks on pupils’ learning are not as effective as they should be. As a result, some pupils do not receive the feedback they need to address errors. In order to build a 25 and 26 March 2025

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depth of knowledge across the curriculum, the school should ensure that there are effective systems in place to check what pupils know and remember.

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 31 October and 1 November 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Hereford. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in 2018. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school operates its own nursery provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds.  The school runs a before- 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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 25 and 26 March 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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with a range of leaders, including those responsible for the curriculum, teaching and learning, behaviour, attendance, personal development and safeguarding.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the local governing body and held conversations with representatives from the local authority and the Diocese of Hereford.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. 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 a range of 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

Sarah Steer Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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