Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Holy Apostles’ Church of England Primary School Battledown Approach, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 6QZ

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Outcome

Holy Apostles’ Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Holy Apostles’ Primary is warm and welcoming. There is a positive and friendly ethos that threads its way through the school. The school’s vision, ‘learn well, live well, together’, fully encapsulates the school’s ambition for all pupils. The school has high expectations for pupils to achieve well, and they do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thoroughly enjoy learning. There is a definite buzz of excitement in lessons. Pupils are proud of their school and are keen to do well. They behave well in lessons and at social times. Disruptions to learning are rare. Pupils are polite and well mannered. This starts in the early years, where children quickly learn the expectations and routines.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Respect is an integral part of the school. Staff know pupils well. Pupils know that there are trusted adults to talk to if they have a concern. This helps them to feel safe. There is a strong sense of community in the school, which helps everyone to feel valued.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand how the school values help them to recognise that everyone is different and unique. Pupils learn the importance of equality and diversity. They understand about fundamental British values and protected characteristics. Pupils are adamant that it is important to treat everyone kindly.

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

The school has experienced significant change since the last inspection. Nonetheless, there has been a continued drive for improvement. The school has high ambition for all pupils. 1 and 2 April 2025

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There has been a sharp focus on reading. Pupils’ high outcomes in phonics at the end of Year 1 reflect this. Staff have the training they need to deliver the phonics curriculum well. They help pupils to learn the phonics code, so that they can become confident and fluent readers. Pupils who fall behind quickly receive the help they need to catch up. Pupils enjoy reading a wide range of genres and authors. Younger pupils read books that match the sounds that they know and have learned.

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The school has implemented a well-sequenced and coherent curriculum for all subjects. This sets out the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which to learn it. Staff have the training and support they need to deliver the curriculum well. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. This helps them to explain new concepts clearly. Activities are deliberately chosen to inspire and engage pupils in their learning. The school has implemented systems for checking what pupils know and remember. However, at times, some misconceptions are not identified or addressed. When this happens, pupils’ misconceptions continue.

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There is a strong emphasis on building pupils’ vocabulary. This is evident across all year groups and all subjects. The school has carefully considered the key vocabulary for pupils to learn. Teachers model this well. They regularly check pupils’ comprehension. As a result, pupils across the school use age-appropriate subject-specific vocabulary to talk about their learning and to explain their thinking.

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The school has developed a clear and sequential curriculum for writing. Pupils have purposeful writing opportunities across the curriculum. This helps them to practise their writing skills. However, some younger pupils do not secure the fundamentals in writing, such as sentence structure, that they need to be ready for later learning. The school is also developing its approach to handwriting. This is not yet consistently implemented across the school.

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There is an inclusive culture in the school. Recent training has supported staff with adapting teaching to support pupils’ learning. Staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and put appropriate support in place. This helps pupils with SEND to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils enjoy a range of activities to support their broader development. They learn about keeping healthy, including their physical and mental health. Pupils learn about social issues and take part in debates. This helps them to learn to be considerate of others’ opinions that may differ from their own. The school offers a range of leadership roles, such as house captains, eco-councillors and sports leaders. These opportunities help pupils to learn about responsibility.

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The school ensures pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education. They learn the importance of resilience and perseverance. Pupils know it is important to keep trying when learning is tricky. They learn to become responsible and active citizens in the community. For example, pupils work with local councillors to reduce traffic speed outside 1 and 2 April 2025

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the school and to improve air quality. This helps them to understand the impact that their actions can have on others and the difference that they can make.

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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 high expectations for teaching writing are not as securely embedded as they are in other core subjects. Some pupils do not secure the fundamentals of writing required for later learning, including letter formation and handwriting. The school should ensure that changes to the writing curriculum are consistently implemented so that they provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to develop and practise their writing, including their handwriting.  At times, teaching does not address and rectify pupils’ misconceptions. This means that some pupils continue to have gaps in their understanding which can weaken future learning. The school should ensure that misconceptions are identified and addressed effectively across the curriculum.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2020. 1 and 2 April 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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been several changes to leadership since the last inspection. The headteacher and deputy headteacher took up their substantive roles in May 2024. They have both previously worked at the school in different leadership roles.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Gloucester. The school had its last denominational education inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in November 2017. 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, curriculum leaders, a group of staff and other members of the school’s leadership team.  The inspector held meetings with members of the governing board, including the chair of governors.  The inspector held meetings with representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, the inspector spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free- text comments. They also considered responses to the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 April 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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