King's Caple Primary Academy

Inspection of King’s Caple Primary Academy Kings Caple, Hereford, Herefordshire HR1 4TZ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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The headteacher of this school is Alison Taylor. This school is part of the Herefordshire Marches Federation of Academies, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Alison Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Matt Ashcroft.

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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 May 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?

King’s Caple Primary Academy is a small school with a big heart, filled with even bigger smiles. Pupils love their school. They are proud to be learning in a place they describe as ‘just like one big family’. Parents and carers, along with governors and staff, share this view and say that it is the sense of community that makes this a special place to be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers work with determination to provide a meaningful and exciting curriculum. In turn, pupils are diligent about their learning and have highly positive attitudes. They demonstrate impressive levels of enthusiasm and become independent, confident learners. Pupils routinely strive to do their best and achieve well. They make a positive start to their education at this school and are well prepared for secondary education by the time they leave in Year 6.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of behaviour. Pupils meet these consistently and behave exceptionally well. They are kind, thoughtful and are always ready to help others. Playtimes are joyous. Pupils take advantage of the exciting activities that are on offer, exploring and playing safely and collaboratively. Times when pupils’ behaviour falls below expectations are very rare. If this should happen, staff are quick to resolve the issue.

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

Because of the work the school does to teach pupils how to behave well, their behaviour and attitudes are exemplary and relationships across school are excellent. The school is calm, yet busy, and filled with purposeful discussion and debate. Pupils are acutely aware of the school’s strengths, with one telling inspectors, ‘The reason we get on is because we know each other so well and can read each other’s emotions.’

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

The school has high ambitions for what pupils will achieve. Teachers know pupils very well and quickly spot when they need help or if they have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

The school has put in place a broad and exciting curriculum. There has been careful consideration of how teachers deliver this to mixed-age classes so pupils can deepen their knowledge over time. Pupils learn the curriculum well, and their retention of knowledge in most subjects shines through in conversation. However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not clearly identified the knowledge that pupils must remember. This makes it harder for teachers to know what to emphasise. Pupils’ learning is sometimes less secure in these subjects.

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

The school successfully ensure that pupils develop fluency in foundational skills. For instance, in mathematics, pupils gain an impressive depth of understanding and fluency in number. They become skilled mathematicians who can describe their thinking when solving problems. In English, they become skilled, confident and accomplished writers with creative turns of phrase and extensive vocabularies. Their writing is entertaining, informative, varied and accurate. They take advantage of the many opportunities they get to practise writing in different subjects. 25 and 26 March 2025

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Teachers are experts in helping pupils at an early stage of reading. Their knowledge of each pupil’s needs helps teachers to provide highly effective support. From learning phonics in Year 1 to enjoying a range of books as they move through school, pupils relish reading. They become confident readers who read with fluency, comprehension and expression.

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The school provides a wealth of experiences to support pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn to respect other people and embrace difference. They learn the importance of equality and inclusivity, which is reflected in their positive interactions with others and by how much empathy they show. However, some aspects of pupils’ learning about different religions and cultures are underdeveloped. As a result, they lack some understanding of the diversity of modern Britain.

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The school organises trips that enhance the curriculum. For example, trips to a Royal Air Force base and an exhibition about ancient Egypt help to bring pupils’ learning to life. Regular sporting events and shared cultural experiences at other local schools help develop pupils’ understanding of the wider world. Pupils have a tangible input into what happens at school. They offer their views sensitively and know that they will be heard. They raise money for charities close to their hearts and play an active role in the local community.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They understand safety in the real world and online. They know about healthy food choices and about the damage tobacco and alcohol do to the body.

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Staff know that working in a small school can pose workload challenges. They acknowledge the wider support and guidance that the trust provides. The school is very successful both in engaging with parents and maintaining this positive and purposeful learning community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s approach to teaching pupils about cultural diversity in modern Britain, though extensive, lacks structure and precision. This means that pupils sometimes do not gain enough knowledge about other religions and cultures. The school should review and enhance its approach to ensure that it reflects and celebrates the richness of different cultures and faiths in a way that pupils remember.  In a small number of subjects, the school has not precisely identified the key knowledge that pupils will need for future learning. As a result, learning activities 25 and 26 March 2025

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sometimes do not help pupils to retain this fundamental content. The school should ensure that the curriculum provides clarity about the most important knowledge in these subjects and helps teachers to emphasise this in their teaching.

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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

Headteacher Alison Taylor (executive headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 May 2012 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of a multi-academy trust called the Herefordshire Marches Federation of Academies. The executive headteacher of this school is also the CEO of the trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school provides before- and after-school care for pupils.  At the time of the inspection, there were no pupils in the early years.

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Information about this inspection

 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 leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher and other leaders. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and French. 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.  An inspector listened to some pupils read.  An inspector held a meeting with the chair of trustees and members of the local advisory board.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, at different times of the day and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.

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 Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses. Inspectors also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including school improvement plans and the school’s website.  An inspector spoke with some parents at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Gareth Morgan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steph Withington 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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