The Gedney Hill Church of England VC Primary School

Inspection of The Gedney Hill Church of England VC Primary School North Road, Gedney Hill, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE12 0NL

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

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Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 24 and 25 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this inclusive school. Staff know the pupils and their families well. They treat pupils with kindness and respect, and, as a result, pupils do the same.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of behaviour. Pupils behave well. Pupils are happy and say that they feel safe in school. They work well together across the year groups and play well together during social times. From the early years, children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. They understand the school values and talk about the importance of persevering when learning is difficult.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants pupils to achieve well and has made significant changes since the last inspection. Pupils know what is expected of them and work hard to be successful. Pupils now achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively to access learning with their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their leadership roles. The junior road safety officers recognise the importance of helping other pupils to be safe in the community. Older pupils value their role when looking after the younger ones.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are mostly positive about the school. Positive comments shared with inspectors included ‘every member of staff goes above and beyond’.

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

The school is committed to ensuring that all pupils develop a love of reading. Children have a strong start to their reading in early years. They learn phonics as soon as they start in Reception. Staff have high levels of expertise in teaching phonics, which is evident in how effectively phonics is taught. Reading sessions are meticulously organised across the whole school, meeting the needs of all pupils. These sessions are highly effective. Pupils engage with them intensely. Teachers regularly check on pupils’ progress in reading to identify those who need extra help. Any pupils who require it receive effective support to help them catch up. Pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.

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

The school has created an ambitious curriculum. It is clear what pupils need to learn and in what order. The school has ensured that the planned curriculum enables pupils to build their knowledge and skills from the early years to the end of Year 6. It has carefully considered what pupils in mixed-age classes learn. The knowledge is clearly defined, allowing teachers to create successful sequences of learning. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. Pupils focus and contribute well. They produce work of a high standard.

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

In some subjects, teachers revisit learning with pupils and remind them what they have 24 and 25 June 2025

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learned before. Here, pupils can reflect on the knowledge and skills they have learned. This helps them apply this knowledge to new learning. In these subjects, pupils talk about their learning securely, demonstrating a depth of understanding. In some subjects, staff do not consistently check how well pupils remember their learning. This means that sometimes gaps in learning are not identified or misconceptions are not corrected. Where this is the case, pupils move on to activities that are not well matched to what they know. Sometimes, pupils are completing activities that do not allow them to have a depth of understanding.

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The school swiftly identifies the needs of pupils with SEND and the strategies that will best support them to learn. Staff are knowledgeable about these strategies and use them to help these pupils to overcome challenges and to develop confidence. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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The school supports pupils’ personal development through trips, residential visits and working with the wider community. Pupils are supported to develop their interests and talents, for example, through performing in the school production. Pupils know how to look after their physical and mental health. They understand the importance of mindfulness and of managing their own emotions. Pupils learn how to stay safe in the community and when online.

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Pupils talk with confidence about different religions and cultures. Pupils show a deep understanding of respect, including for those who are different to them. However, they do not demonstrate the same level of understanding of the other fundamental British values such as individual liberty and the rule of law. Nor do pupils securely understand all of the different characteristics people may demonstrate that are protected under law. As a result, pupils’ understanding of some aspects of life in modern Britain is not as strong as it could be.

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Staff appreciate the efforts that leaders make to manage their workload and support their well-being. Governors know the school well. They understand their strategic role. They are holding leaders to account effectively through challenge and precise questioning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teaching does not consistently check pupils’ understanding and identify misconceptions. This means that sometimes pupils are not given work matched to their existing understanding. As a result, pupils’ learning is limited, and they are not always able to build their knowledge as intended. The school should ensure that staff have the 24 and 25 June 2025

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knowledge they need to check pupils’ understanding and provide them with work which enables them to learn the key knowledge.  The school has not ensured that pupils have a suitable understanding of some of the British values and the importance of protected characteristics. This means that some pupils are not well prepared for some aspects of life in modern Britain. The school must ensure that work around pupils’ personal development promotes their understanding of all the British values and protected characteristics.

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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

Headteacher Alison Buddle (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 October 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher works across this school and one other school, as do other senior leaders.  The Gedney Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has a religious character. It is part of the Diocese of Lincolnshire. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school took place in June 2023.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There is a before- and after-school club managed 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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 24 and 25 June 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continuing impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, curriculum leaders, the early years leader, those responsible for SEND and groups of staff and pupils.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in three subjects: early reading, mathematics and design and technology. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors met with the chair of the governing body.  The inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses, and Ofsted’s survey for school staff.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons and around the school site. They scrutinised the school’s records for attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Donna Chambers, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ruth Hurcombe 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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