Sytchampton Endowed Primary School

Inspection of Sytchampton Endowed Primary School Sytchampton, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire DY13 9SX

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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?

Pupils are proud of Sytchampton Endowed Primary School and are enthusiastic to attend. They enjoy their lessons due to the high-quality curriculum on offer. Pupils say that everyone at Sytchampton is treated equally and with mutual respect. Older pupils are ready for the next stage of their education and they understand their roles as respectful citizens. As a result, this is a small school making a big impact in their immediate community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say behaviour is good at Sytchampton and they are right. They say that they feel safe and know who to go to if they feel worried. Bullying rarely happens and pupils are confident that staff would help them should bullying occur. Pupils live out the school’s core principle of ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’ each day. These values help pupils to build positive relationships with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know their pupils and families extremely well and, as a result, these relationships are very strong. The school has high expectations for all pupils. Pupils achieve well because their needs are met by dedicated staff. The school has risen to the challenge of designing an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of mixed-age classes.

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

The quality of education that pupils receive has improved significantly since the previous inspection. As a result, pupils achieve well. The school meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have been well trained on how to adapt their teaching, so that every child in the classes they teach receive the high-quality curriculum on offer.

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

The school prioritises reading. There is a sharp focus on those pupils who are at the early stage of learning to read. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they know and this supports their reading development. Pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers by the end of key stage 1. This is also the case for children in the early years. Phonics is well taught in Reception and any children that fall behind, receive the support they need to quickly catch up.

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

Subject content is well sequenced in most subjects, from early years through to the end of key stage 2. There is a consistent and effective approach to ensuring that all pupils receive the support they need to achieve well. The teaching of mathematics is more practically based for those pupils who require this approach to ensure that they really understand their learning and can apply this in a variety of contexts. Most pupils achieve well due to the school’s identification of their needs and personalised support when necessary.

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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 well-sequenced curriculum for mixed-age classes. Writing outcomes across the variety of curriculum areas are strong. However, while most pupils are learning more and remembering more about the subjects they study, the work that some teachers provide does not help some pupils to achieve the 24 and 25 June 2025

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ambitious aims of the curriculum. As a result, these pupils do not have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and, therefore, do not achieve the very high standards they are capable of.

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Pupils behave well, both in lessons and during break and lunchtimes. They are respectful of each other and of the adults in their school. Lessons are calm and purposeful and very little time is lost to off-task behaviour.

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Pupils say that everyone is welcome at Sytchampton, and they celebrate each other’s similarities and differences. They learn about a range of different religions, which broadens their understanding of the world. This helps prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

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The school helps pupils to understand about online and offline risks and the curriculum sets out clearly how to keep themselves healthy and safe. Pupils understand what healthy relationships look like and how to be a good friend.

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The school’s work to develop pupils’ talents and interests is not yet ambitious enough or as well designed as it could be. As a result, pupils do not have enough meaningful opportunities to broaden their horizons.

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Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, and this has a positive impact on their education and well-being. Governors are well informed and have an accurate view of the school. Leaders take account of staff workload when making decisions about school improvement. Staff appreciate this and are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The work that some teachers provide does not help some pupils to achieve the ambitious aims of the curriculum. As a result, these pupils do not have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and, therefore, do not achieve the very high standards they are capable of. The school should ensure that all staff have the knowledge to set work that deepens and challenges pupil’s thinking more effectively.  The school’s work to develop pupils’ talents and interests is not yet ambitious enough or as well designed as it could be. As a result, pupils do not have enough meaningful opportunities to broaden their horizons. The school should prioritise the delivery of an engaging enrichment programme, so that pupils have the opportunity to take part in a wider range of experiences. 24 and 25 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). 24 and 25 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 29 and 30 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has been in post since January 2025.  The school is currently not using any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school provision.  The school is classified as a voluntary aided school as the building and grounds are owned by The Lloyds Educational Foundation, a charitable trust.

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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 continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with a range of leaders, including those responsible for the curriculum, teaching and learning, behaviour, attendance, personal development and safeguarding.  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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils

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about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also heard a selection of pupils read.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The lead inspector spoke with the school’s school improvement partner.  The lead inspector also spoke with the chair and vice-chair of the governing body.  Inspectors considered the survey responses to Ofsted Parent View and the free-text comments from parents. They also evaluated the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Darren King, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Travis Latham 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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