Little Dewchurch CofE Primary School

Inspection of Little Dewchurch CofE Primary School Little Dewchurch, Hereford, Herefordshire HR2 6PN

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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 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 February 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Little Dewchurch CofE Primary School is at the centre of the community. It is an inclusive and welcoming place. Pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy discussing their learning. They are proud to be part of the school and attend well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations. There is an ambition to provide the best education possible for pupils. All pupils work hard to meet these expectations. They leave the school well equipped for the challenges of secondary education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are polite and well mannered. They show high levels of respect and are kind to each other. One pupil captured this well, stating, ‘Everyone has someone to play with. We never see anyone left out.’ There is a calm and purposeful environment in classrooms and around the school. Pupils feel safe. They trust adults to respond quickly to any concerns they raise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on leadership responsibilities across the school. They rightly say that their voice is heard. For example, student voice representatives are elected by their peers through a democratic process. They were involved in the shortlisting and naming of the ‘Dewi Den’ wraparound provision, which opened recently. Pupils are very proud of these important roles in the school.

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

The last year has been a significant period of transition for the school, moving from a federation to a stand-alone school. An enormous amount of work has been done by both leaders and wider partnerships to ensure that this has not impacted the quality of education the school provides pupils. The curriculum is broad and balanced. Learning is well ordered, so pupils build their knowledge securely over time. The school has created a very nurturing environment where every pupil is welcome. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. The school carefully identifies pupils’ individual needs. Teachers adapt learning effectively to enable pupils with SEND to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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

The curriculum is very ambitious. For example, pupils learn about a wide range of artists and their work. They can talk knowledgeably about different artists’ styles. Pupils demonstrate their own work in this style, for example creating self-portraits in the style of Frida Kahlo. This curriculum ambition is reflected in the high-quality artwork produced by pupils. The school recognises that the curriculum needs further embedding as it is still new. This is to ensure consistency across subjects and year groups. In some wider curriculum subjects, it is not always clear what essential knowledge the school wants pupils to know and remember. As a result, pupils do not always gain the depth of understanding they need to build on their prior learning. There is some variability in the implementation of the curriculum. As a result, some pupils do not secure as deep an understanding of the curriculum as they could.

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

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. This starts in the early years, where children learn phonics as soon as they start at the school. They quickly gain the knowledge 17 and 18 June 2025

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needed to blend sounds together to read simple words. The school has organised its reading curriculum well so that it sets out what pupils should know and by when. Staff have the expertise to ensure there is a consistent approach to phonics teaching. The school regularly checks pupils’ phonics knowledge and identifies those who need extra support. These pupils receive the help they need. Reading books match pupils’ phonics knowledge accurately. This supports pupils to read with fluency. Teachers read and discuss high-quality texts with their classes. As a result, pupils develop their reading skills and a passion for reading.

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The curriculum is successfully designed to enrich pupils’ lives and develop their character. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. They talk confidently about what British values mean and how these relate to their own lives. Pupils understand about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend. They learn how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy, as well as how to stay safe online and in the wider community. Pupils enjoy the enrichment experiences that the school provides. They benefit from a wide range of trips and external visitors, which enhance the curriculum.

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Staff are very positive about the school. They work closely together and support each other well. There is a collective vision to support every individual pupil who attends the school. Parents are very supportive of the school. The new governing body maintains effective oversight of the school. This helps to ensure that school leaders are accountable for the quality of education at the school. Governors are very clear about the priorities for future improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The implementation of the intended curriculum is not fully consistent. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure the curriculum is implemented effectively to enable pupils to know and remember more over time.  In some wider curriculum subjects, the precise knowledge pupils need to learn and remember needs further refinement. As a result, pupils find it difficult to recall their learning in the long term in these subjects. The school should ensure that the continued development of the curriculum allows pupils to recall the essential knowledge in all subjects.

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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 17 and 18 June 2025

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when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.little-dewchurch.hereford.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 February 2013, 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 2018. 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.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics

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and art. 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

Sarah Steer Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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