Pembridge CofE Primary School

Inspection of Pembridge CofE Primary School Bearwood Lane, Pembridge, Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 9EA

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

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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 October 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 10 and 11 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at Pembridge CofE Primary School. They enjoy coming to school and attend well. Positive relationships are a feature of this inclusive school. There is a shared understanding of the school’s vision. The school has high expectations for pupils. Pupils work hard to meet these and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show high levels of tolerance and respect. They celebrate difference and report that ‘it is ok to be who you want to be at Pembridge’. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and behave well. They learn how to stay safe online and in the wider community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years have an excellent start to their education. They develop positive learning behaviours, independence and resilience. Children concentrate on tasks for sustained periods of time. They interact well with each other and thrive in a vibrant learning environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The personal development offer in the school is exceptional. Pupils enjoy taking on leadership responsibilities across the school. These roles help them to make a difference in the school. For example, learning ambassadors identify pupils who have demonstrated positive learning attitudes and behaviour. These pupils are then presented with an award in the school’s celebration assembly at the end of the week.

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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. It provides opportunities for pupils to develop their curiosity about the world. The curriculum makes links to the local area. For example, pupils learn about how local rivers are used. They visit a nearby farm to understand the importance of farming in this rural community. These visits enrich the curriculum. The school ensures that teaching approaches are consistent across different subjects. As a result, learning has a clear purpose and pupils understand what they are learning and why.

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

Learning is carefully ordered, so pupils build on their knowledge as they move through the school. There are regular opportunities for pupils to recap on previous learning. This helps them to retain their knowledge and build on it over time. For example, pupils develop a sense of time and learn a chronology of important events through the history curriculum. Early years provision is exceptional. There is a sharp focus on developing children’s communication and language skills in the early years. This helps them to gain the vocabulary they need for future learning. Children develop excellent learning behaviours. They concentrate on tasks for sustained periods of time.

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum meets the needs of pupils well. This starts in the early years. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. The school has processes which assess, identify and evidence the bespoke support that pupils with SEND need. Learning is adapted to enable the majority of pupils to progress well through the curriculum. However, sometimes the activities which pupils are given do 10 and 11 June 2025

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not encourage them to explore or apply their knowledge and skills. As a result, pupils do not always deepen their knowledge of the curriculum as well as they could.

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Pupils’ love of reading is palpable across the school. The reading curriculum is well organised and sets out what pupils should know and by when. The school’s approach to teaching phonics is effective. Children in the early years quickly learn how to blend sounds together to read simple words. Staff identify pupils who need more practice. These pupils receive timely support to help them to keep up. Pupils read books that match their stage of reading. This helps them to practise using their phonics knowledge. They quickly become confident, fluent readers. Pupils learn about diversity and different cultures through the school’s reading curriculum.

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Pupils learn additional skills and knowledge through the school’s personal development programme. Pastoral support for pupils is very strong. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They are encouraged to demonstrate tolerance and respect to others. The school goes beyond the expected so that pupils have access to a wide, rich set of experiences. For example, older pupils learn about different career options. Local businesses, parents and former pupils take part in a career fayre. This helps to raise pupils’ aspirations.

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Pupils understand about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend. They learn how to keep themselves healthy. The school encourages pupils to be reflective. As a result, pupils are very self-aware and talk about ways they can support their mental health. Pupils gain age-appropriate knowledge about healthy relationships.

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Staff are very proud to work at the school. They are carefully supported by school leaders. Governors know the school’s strengths and areas for improvement well. They provide appropriate support and challenge to the school. Parents and carers are supportive of the school and value its importance to the local community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum pupils do not learn in sufficient depth. This hinders them from building as rich a body of subject knowledge across the curriculum as they could. The school should further refine its curriculum to ensure that there are greater opportunities for pupils to deepen their knowledge in every subject. 10 and 11 June 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). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 October 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Hereford. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in January 2023. The next inspection will be within five years of the last section 48 inspection.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school operates its own nursery provision for three- and four-year-olds.  The school runs a before- and after-school club for pupils.

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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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 10 and 11 June 2025

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with a range of leaders, including those responsible for the curriculum, teaching and learning, behaviour, attendance, personal development and safeguarding.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the local governing body and held conversations with representatives from the local authority and the Diocese of Hereford.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. 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.  The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in a range of other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to some parents before and after school. The inspectors also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Matt Fletcher, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Richards Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 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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