Churchdown Village Infant School

Inspection of Churchdown Village Infant School Station Road, Churchdown, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL3 2NB

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Emma Williams. This school is part of Gloucestershire Learning Alliance, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Claire Savory, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Helen Morris. 7 and 8 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is warm and welcoming. Staff have high expectations for behaviour. Pupils understand these expectations well. They know that the school rules, ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’, help them to know how to behave. As a result, pupils are polite and well-mannered.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils to succeed. Pupils work hard and achieve well across many subjects. They have positive attitudes to school and enjoy their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school helps pupils to realise its vision that they will become mindful, respectful and tolerant of others. Pupils learn about different cultures and beliefs. For example, they visit different places of worship. The school values encourage pupils to be kind, honest and determined. Pupils understand the importance of being a good friend. They know that there are adults to talk to if they have a worry. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ learning extends beyond the academic. For example, pupils take part in activities in the local community, such as the local hospital’s ‘lions at large’ project. They raise money for charities and support the local foodbank. This helps pupils to learn about the difference their actions can make and to prepare them for their future as responsible citizens.

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

There have been significant changes at the school since the last inspection. The school has joined a trust. There is a new leadership team. The school, working in partnership with the trust, has made rapid improvements. There is strong ambition and drive to provide the very best for all pupils. While the school has made significant progress to improve, some of this work is in its early stages. The school knows there is more to do.

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

The school has implemented a clear and coherent curriculum. This sets out the important knowledge for pupils to learn. The school has prioritised improvements in English and mathematics. In these subjects, most teachers provide clear explanations. This helps pupils to learn the curriculum well. Teachers check what pupils know and remember. They use this to identify any misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ learning. Staff quickly provide support to help pupils to catch up. The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. However, at times, information about pupils’ needs is not used well enough. For example, learning in the wider curriculum is sometimes not adapted effectively, so some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could.

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

The school is continuing to develop the wider curriculum. The curriculum is designed so that pupils revisit prior learning to help them to build on what they already know. In most subjects in the wider curriculum, teaching helps pupils to develop secure subject knowledge. Most of the time, teachers check pupils’ understanding carefully and help them to build on what they already know. In a small number of subjects, staff subject 7 and 8 May 2025

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knowledge is not secure. When this is the case, staff do not check learning as closely and pupils do not remember their learning as well as they could.

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Reading is a priority for the school. Children learn to read as soon as they start school. In the early years, they enjoy listening to stories and rhymes. The school has made recent changes to the teaching of phonics in the nursery. This work is in its early stages. Across the school, pupils are immersed in a range of books to promote a love of reading. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. This helps to build confidence and fluency.

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In the early years, the curriculum is well structured. Children learn expectations and routines from the start. Adults interact positively with children. In the Reception Year, teachers’ questioning helps to support and extend children’s learning. Children play happily with one another. They learn to take turns and to share. Reception Year supports children with being well prepared for Year 1.

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The school is calm and orderly. Most pupils attend regularly and on time. Occasionally, some pupils’ behaviour disrupts the learning of others. When this happens, adults provide reminders, which pupils are quick to respond to.

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The school caters well for pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn about democracy. They have opportunities to vote in school, for example for the school council. Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and mentally. They enjoy a range of extra-curricular clubs. These help to develop pupils’ talents and interests.

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The school is well supported by the trust. Together, they understand the school’s strengths and what it needs to do to improve. Staff enjoy working at the school. Teachers, including those in the early stages of their careers, appreciate the support they receive for their professional development and well-being. Parents are positive about the school. They value the kind and supportive staff.

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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, teaching does not use information about pupils with SEND well enough. As a result, sometimes pupils do not develop their knowledge as well as they could. The trust should ensure that staff have the expertise to deliver the curriculum consistently well so that pupils with SEND achieve well across all subjects.  Systems for checking what pupils know and remember are not embedded in some areas of the curriculum. In these subjects, staff subject knowledge is less secure. At times, pupils do not recall and embed their earlier learning. Some pupils have gaps in 7 and 8 May 2025

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their understanding. The trust needs to ensure that teachers use assessment effectively to help pupils to know more and remember more in the long term.

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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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 December 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been significant changes in leadership and staffing since the last inspection. The headteacher took up post in September 2024. Prior to this, there was an interim leadership team in place from May 2023.  The school joined the Gloucestershire Learning Alliance in November 2023.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school has a pre-school for children aged three and four.  There is a before- and after-school club that is run by the school.

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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 7 and 8 May 2025

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher, trust leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders and a group of staff.  The lead inspector held a meeting with members of the trust board, including the chair of trustees.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and religious education. 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects, including history, writing and science.

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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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspector also spoke with parents at the start and the end of the school day. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Spencer Allen Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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