St George's Church of England School, Bourton

Inspection of St George’s Church of England School, Bourton Church Track, Bourton, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5BN

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

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Jill Farndale. This school is part of the Pickwick Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), James Passmore, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Rob Ward.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected St George’s Church of England School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged St George’s Church of England School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in February 2013, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 20 and 21 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

St George’s is a school where pupils ‘work together, play together and learn together’ happily. Staff ensure that each pupil is at the heart of everything they do. There are warm and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils. Staff know and understand pupils’ needs well. Pupils are happy and safe. They are proud of their school and attend well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations. It aspires that every pupil will experience success in their learning. Pupils are keen to learn and typically achieve well. They take pleasure in the rich opportunities on offer, such as choir, outdoor education and learning to play a musical instrument. These activities develop pupils’ interests and talents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils demonstrate positive behaviour in lessons and during social times. From the moment they start in the early years, children learn to follow the ‘St George’s way’, which expects pupils to ‘try your best, be respectful and stay safe’. Pupils exhibit high levels of respect and kindness towards one another. They are polite and well mannered.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides effective support to pupils and their families. Parents and carers express their appreciation for the school and the support it provides. Parents typically comment how the school ‘nurtures children’ and ‘makes children feel secure and content’.

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

The school has designed an ambitious and exciting curriculum. The key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember across all subjects have been identified. This enables pupils to build their knowledge well in most subjects. For example, older pupils were able to talk with eloquence about the Victorian times and the employment of children in the mills. However, the school acknowledges that more work is needed to ensure that pupils can remember what they have learned term by term, and year by year. Some pupils cannot recall their learning over time, which makes it difficult for them to build their knowledge further.

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

Children in the early years get off to a flying start. They develop the learning behaviours expected of them quickly. They learn how to play together and work independently. There is a strong focus on children’s early communication skills and language development. Children speak with confidence. For example, children in the sensory rock pool could explain how they were making fishcakes. Children start to build their early reading, writing and mathematical knowledge well. As a result, children are well prepared for the demands of the Year 1 curriculum.

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

The school prioritises reading and aspires for pupils to develop a love of books and become fluent readers. Children begin their reading journey from the moment they start in the early years. Staff are skilled in the teaching of phonics and reading. Books carefully match the phonics knowledge of the pupils. Those pupils who struggle with reading and are at risk of falling behind have the support and practice they need to catch up. Listening 20 and 21 May 2025

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to stories is a firm favourite. Pupils become confident readers and develop a love of reading.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are at the core of the school’s work. Staff identify pupils’ barriers to learning accurately and efficiently. Adaptations are made to ensure pupils get the support they need. This helps pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers, although some do still struggle to remember essential learning over time.

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The school’s work to develop pupils’ personal development is effective. Pupils enjoy their involvement in and support of local charities such as the food bank. They were keen to talk about the posters they have made to remind people to save energy by switching off the lights. Pupils understand the importance of looking after the world in which they live.

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The school provides pupils with plentiful opportunities to expand and develop their interests and talents. Pupils relish the chance to develop their love of music. They talk with joy of the performances they give alongside staff and other adults. There is a wealth of sporting activities that pupils enjoy, such as tennis, swimming and handball.

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Pupils welcome the additional responsibilities they are given, including as school councillors and ‘shining light’ leaders. This helps to develop their leadership skills. Pupils experience a range of enrichment activities. Older pupils speak with animation about their residential experiences. Such experiences build team skills and resilience.

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The trust and governors offers strong support, guidance and challenge, which the school welcomes and embraces. Leaders are considerate of staff workload. Staff are proud to be members of the school team. They comment that ‘it is a privilege to be part of a child’s journey’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils are not able to remember some of the key knowledge across the subjects they study. This can limit how securely they build on their learning over time. The trust should ensure that the implementation of the curriculum enables pupils to remember the most important knowledge over time. 20 and 21 May 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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Pickwick Academy Trust in February 2024.  The headteacher is the executive headteacher of this school and St Gregory’s in Marnhull.  This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Salisbury. The school received its section 48 inspection under the Education Act for schools of a religious character in June 2018, when it was judged to be good. The school is due its next section 48 inspection during the next academic year.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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 20 and 21 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.  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.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, executive deputy headteacher and wider staff.  The lead inspector met with the CEO and two directors of education.  The lead inspector met with trustees, including the chair of trustees.  The lead inspector met with members of the local board of governors, including the chair.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 The lead inspector listened to some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult. She heard other pupils from across the school read.  Inspectors sampled pupils’ work in science and history.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered key documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school development plan and governors’ minutes.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. An inspector met with school leaders to discuss and review how they respond to behaviour incidents and pupils’ attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey and the online survey, Ofsted

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Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laura Bennett Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 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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