Billesdon Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Billesdon Church of England Primary School Gaulby Road, Billesdon, Leicester, Leicestershire LE7 9AG

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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 24 and 25 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children are happy to attend Billesdon Church of England Primary School. They trust the caring staff to keep them safe. The school is calm and orderly. During social times, pupils play together enthusiastically in the well-equipped and spacious outdoor area.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for how pupils should behave and what they can achieve. This begins in the early years where children learn the school routines quickly. Pupils try hard in lessons and achieve well. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to be independent and successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes pupils’ wider personal development well. Pupils are guided by the school’s values to be kind, respectful and tolerant. They understand diversity and enjoy learning about different faiths and cultures. Pupils gain leadership experience by serving on the school council or by being a house captain. A variety of trips, including residential visits, provide them with memorable experiences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wealth of opportunities to develop pupils’ sporting and musical talents. This includes a range of clubs and participation in local sports events and competitions. All pupils can learn to play a musical instrument or be part of the school choir.

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

The school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. Over recent years, staff have worked hard to make sure that it identifies precisely what pupils will learn in each subject. Knowledge is sequenced carefully so that pupils at every stage can build on what they have learned previously. The curriculum in the early years is designed to excite children as they gain the knowledge and skills that they need to be ready for the next stage.

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

The school identifies accurately and quickly pupils’ individual needs, including SEND. Information about pupils’ needs is shared with staff so that they can provide extra support when it is needed.

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

In most subjects, including mathematics and English, pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well. Teachers present new knowledge clearly and check pupils’ understanding carefully. They correct misconceptions swiftly. Teachers ask thoughtful questions to promote discussion. They revisit topics routinely to help pupils make connections to prior learning. When this is the case, pupils gain knowledge securely and produce work of a high quality.

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

The curriculums for some subjects in the wider curriculum are still quite new. Some of the subject content is not delivered as well as it could be. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and explain new concepts clearly. However, on some occasions, the learning activities provided for pupils are not focused sharply enough on what pupils need to learn and remember. As a result, pupils’ learning is less secure in these subjects. 24 and 25 June 2025

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Reading is a high priority for the school. Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 benefit from a phonics programme that is delivered well by staff. Pupils practise reading often from books that match the sounds they have learned. Most pupils are quick to learn to read. Staff check pupils’ phonics knowledge carefully and provide effective extra support to any that fall behind. All through the school, pupils are exposed to a wide variety of stories, poetry and non-fiction texts. For example, interesting texts are chosen carefully to link to the topics pupils are learning and to develop their understanding of different cultures around the world.

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Pupils learn about a range of issues in personal, social and health education. Staff make sure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils learn how to maintain positive relationships and lead healthy lifestyles. However, they are not taught about the fundamental British values or protected characteristics in sufficient depth to understand their importance. This means that pupils are not as well prepared for their lives in modern Britain as they could be.

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Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend well. Their behaviour is excellent. There are few disruptions to learning. Any pupils who struggle to behave well receive excellent individualised support that helps them to improve.

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The school is well led. Significant improvements to the curriculum have benefited all pupils. School leaders and staff make the most of links with other schools locally to develop their expertise. School leaders and governors have developed robust systems for evaluating the impact of the school’s work. Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the way that the school supports them to manage their workload and well- being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, in some foundation subjects, learning activities are not focused sufficiently well on the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that pupils’ learning in these subjects is less secure than in other subjects. The school should ensure that the curriculum is delivered consistently well so that pupils learn and remember the important knowledge in every subject.  The school does not place a high-enough priority on teaching pupils about the fundamental British values or the protected characteristics. As a result, pupils’ understanding of these important topics lacks depth and understanding. The school 24 and 25 June 2025

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should ensure that it places sufficient emphasis on ensuring that pupils fully appreciate these different aspects.

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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). 24 and 25 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair Luke Harmer-Mullins and David Smith (Co-chairs of governors) Headteacher Lisa Willcocks

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 March 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision.  This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Leicester. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in January 2020. This is an inspection of the school’s religious character.

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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. 24 and 25 June 2025

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and with other school leaders.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the co- chairs of governors. The lead inspector also spoke to a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and design technology. 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. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a member of staff.  Inspectors discussed the curriculum, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work in a range of other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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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 analysed responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and pupil. They also spoke to staff and pupils to hear their views of the school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Chrissie Barrington Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 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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