Fulstow Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Fulstow Church of England Primary School Churchthorpe, Fulstow, Louth LN11 0XL

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Fulstow Church of England Primary school is a welcoming and happy school. The school’s values are at the heart of its work. These values are known and lived out by both staff and pupils. Relationships between adults and pupils are nurturing. Pupils treat each other with kindness and mutual respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. Pupils talk about their work with enthusiasm and interest. Pupils enjoy learning and achieve well. One pupil, representing the views of many, explained, ‘The best thing about my school is the teachers. They are kind and generous and always help us with our work. They make our learning fun!’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and well looked after. Pupils feel comfortable knowing they can talk to staff if they have any worries. They know that adults will always listen to them and support them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a programme of carefully planned experiences which broaden their knowledge of the wider world. These include visits and talks from scientists, authors and someone who worked in the Antarctic.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are positive about the school’s work. One parent, typical of many, commented, ‘The school has been the making of my children. They are happy, settled and enjoy going to school.’

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

The school prioritises reading. Children start the phonics programme as soon as they start school. The reading books that pupils take home include the most recently taught sounds. This helps pupils to become more confident and fluent readers. Extra sessions are in place to support some pupils who need extra help. This support is effective. It helps pupils to keep up with the programme. The school proactively engages with parents regarding the importance of reading. ‘Booky breakfast’ gives parents the opportunity to come into school and read with their child.

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

Pupils engage well in lessons. Teachers use resources which support pupils to explain their thinking in full sentences. For example, in mathematics, pupils are encouraged to use mathematical vocabulary when they are discussing their methods with their peers. As well as developing their mathematical fluency, pupils benefit from regular opportunities to reason and problem solve. The focus on vocabulary helps pupils to understand new concepts.

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

Pupils access a broad and balanced curriculum. On the whole, this is well designed. However, in a few wider-curriculum subjects, the school has not identified clearly enough the knowledge it wants pupils to learn and remember. This has led to some gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ learning which are not systematically addressed. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge as securely as they could. 25 and 26 March 2025

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The school is swift to identify any additional needs that pupils may have. It communicates proactively with external agencies to access appropriate guidance. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from high-quality support. Additional resources, including the use of technology, allow all pupils to access learning. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils benefit from a range of carefully planned experiences such as trips and visitors into school. These opportunities consider what pupils need to learn to be safe in their local area. For example, pupils learn about road and bike safety. Older pupils enjoy taking on additional responsibilities, such as being a ‘playground leader’.

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Pupils know the school’s values. They know and understand the importance of treating each other fairly and with respect. One pupil, typical of many, explained, ‘You should always treat each other as you would like to be treated.’ However, pupils’ knowledge of some important values such as individual liberty, democracy and tolerance is not secure. They cannot explain what these mean or how they relate to their everyday lives.

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Staff access regular training. They particularly value the opportunity to work collaboratively across the federation. Most staff feel that the school is considerate of their workload and well-being.

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Governance is a particular strength of the school. Governors maintain close strategic oversight of the school to enable them to understand the school’s strengths and where further improvement is needed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the important knowledge that pupils should learn is not identified as clearly as it could be. This has led to some gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ learning. The school should ensure that important knowledge is explicitly identified in all subjects and align its checks on pupils’ learning so that any gaps in knowledge or misconceptions can be identified and acted upon quickly.  Although important values such as the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, democracy and tolerance are taught, pupils do not fully understand them and struggle to relate them to their everyday lives. Pupils are therefore not as prepared for some aspects of life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should ensure that the curriculum offers pupils additional opportunities to develop a secure understanding of these values. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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

Headteacher Jonathan Grant (executive headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 In September 2023, the school joined the North Cotes CE Primary School and Fulstow CE Primary School Federation. The two schools are led by an executive headteacher and share a governing body.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  A section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character has not yet taken place.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in: reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and reviewed samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development, early years and the provision for pupils with SEND.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body and with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments, as well as the results of Ofsted’s online survey for school staff.

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Inspection team

Luella Dhoore, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Justine Roberts 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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