Farrington Gurney Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Farrington Gurney Church of England Primary School Church Lane, Farrington Gurney, Bristol BS39 6TY

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Outcome

Farrington Gurney Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The Head of School is Catrin Geeson. This school is part of Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Alun Williams, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tony Wells. There is also an executive headteacher, Dan Turull, who is responsible for this and two others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, safe and well supported. They benefit from the care of dedicated staff who are ambitious for every child. The school is determined that pupils will be well prepared for secondary school and beyond. Pupils meet this challenge and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in their high attendance. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Pupils behave well. They value the small school environment where ‘everyone knows each other’. Pupils have confidence that staff will help them if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision of, ‘A place where all can flourish, find fulfilment and live life in all its fullness' can be seen across all areas of school life. Pupils are proud to take on additional responsibilities. For example, older pupils are ‘zone leaders’ and support younger children at playtime. Pupil representatives of the Farrington Forum organise charitable events. The range of leadership opportunities inspires pupils. They feel valued and trusted with responsibility. 29 April 2025

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Pupils make visits to places of interest which are carefully planned to support and build on areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils visited a local museum to deepen their understanding of Victorian history.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum, carefully setting out the knowledge and skills pupils need to know and remember. Since the previous inspection, the school has strengthened and adapted its curriculum to accurately meet the needs of pupils. In the many subjects, pupils make links with prior learning and use this foundation to build on current skills. For example, in mathematics, older pupils use their knowledge of subtraction in solving geometry problems.

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

In the strongest subjects, staff continuously assess each pupil and identify the next steps they need to take. However, in some subjects, the checks made on pupils’ learning do not identify the extent of pupils’ knowledge. Therefore, some pupils move through some curriculum subjects with ongoing gaps in their knowledge. In addition, the way the curriculum is taught does not always allow pupils who have secured their learning to move onto more complex knowledge swiftly enough. Therefore, some pupils do not consistently make the progress they could.

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

Children in the Reception Year settle into school life successfully. The curriculum supports them to develop in all areas of their learning. Staff carefully consider how to develop the skills and knowledge that children need to prepare them for what they will learn later. For example, children use playdough to make models of plants. This deepens their knowledge of science and helps them strengthen the muscles in their hands to prepare them for writing.

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

There is a sharp focus on reading. Children start to learn to read as soon as they begin school. The school ensures that pupils gain a secure phonics knowledge. Pupils who fall behind are supported to catch up quickly. Beyond phonics, leaders have designed the reading curriculum well. They have identified essential high-quality texts, which pupils read with increasing confidence and fluency.

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

Since the last inspection, an increasing number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have joined the school. Across the school, staff get to know the barriers to learning for pupils with SEND. They provide supporting resources or adapt the curriculum appropriately to meet their needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

The school has strengthened its behaviour policy in consultation with pupils, staff and parents. Pupils understand the school rules and conduct themselves well. Occasionally, pupils become distracted in lessons, but this does not disrupt the learning of others. Attendance is a high priority. The school works closely with families to maintain positive attendance habits. 29 April 2025

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The school’s provision for pupils’ broader development is well considered and thorough. Pupils are knowledgeable about fundamental British values. They enjoy the opportunity to put democracy into practice by voting for pupil representatives in the Farrington Forum.

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Pupils take part in a variety of clubs that build their talents and interests such as netball and athletics. They understand how to keep themselves physically healthy and to recognise risks to their well-being.

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The trust and the local governing body have the skills and expertise to fulfil their roles well. They have an accurate picture of the school through robust systems of checking and quality assurance. They ensure that the education that the school provides has a positive impact on all its pupils. Staff appreciate initiatives in place to manage their workload and support their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the use of assessment is not as well developed as it is in others. Where this is the case, staff do not consistently identify where pupils have developed misconceptions or have gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that there is accurate identification of gaps in pupils’ understanding, so that these can be remedied.  In some subjects, the way the curriculum is taught does not enable pupils who have secured their knowledge to move onto more complex learning. This prevents some pupils from developing a deep understanding of more advanced concepts. The trust should ensure that staff have the training and pedagogical expertise to implement the curriculum in a way that best suits pupils’ needs.

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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 29 April 2025

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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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This is the third ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Farrington Gurney Church of England Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2016.

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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). 29 April 2025

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School details

Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council

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School details

Website www.farringtongurneyschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership.  The school uses six unregistered providers of alternative provision.  There is a school-run breakfast club.  This is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection took place in February 2024.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 29 April 2025

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 The inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, members of the local governing body, a trustee representing the trust, the director of education who also represented the CEO and the director of primary education.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and curriculum leaders. They also spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspectors also considered responses to the Ofsted pupil

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Inspection team

Liz Geller, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Paula Marsh Ofsted Inspector 29 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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