Bishop Hooper Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Bishop Hooper Church of England Primary School Shropshire, Ashford Carbonel, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 4BX

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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 Good 24 and 25 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bishop Hooper CofE Primary School is a friendly school that welcomes all. Pupils treat one another with tolerance and respect. Bullying is rare and is not tolerated. Pupils commit to the school’s rule of, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all its pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and achieve well. Staff know the pupils and their individual needs. From the early years, they establish very positive relationships with children. This enables staff to meet the needs of all pupils who attend, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school’s motto of ‘believing together, achieving together’ is being realised.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The provision for pupils’ wider development is exceptional. Pupils take pleasure in the rich opportunities on offer through clubs, such as handbells, mahjong, dance and sports. They say that if they want other clubs, ‘All we have to do is ask.’ Parents and carers are unanimously positive about the school. One parent comment, typical of many stated, ‘This is a lovely small rural school that I’m lucky enough to be able to say my child attends.’

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has worked diligently to further improve its curriculum. The curriculum is broad and engaging. It has a firm foundation in the early years. For example, in the early years, children build a deep knowledge of numbers and their value. By the time pupils are at the end of key stage 2, they work confidently with large numbers to solve problems.

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

The curriculum reflects that most pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. The school has organised the majority of subjects in a logical way, which builds on pupils’ learning over time. In a very small number of subjects, there is still some work to do. These subjects are not as well considered. Pupils do not learn as well as they could in these subjects.

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

Children make an excellent start in the early years. Staff focus closely on developing children’s communication and language skills. They ensure that children learn important knowledge that is then consolidated in their play during ‘choosing to learn’ time. Children develop resilience and sustain their interest in learning. As a result, children are more than ready for Year 1.

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

Staff deliver the school’s curriculum as intended. They focus on the key knowledge that the school has identified for pupils to learn. Teachers check on pupils’ learning in lessons and through regular ‘POP’ tasks. They use this information to address any misconceptions or gaps in learning. Teachers consider the needs of pupils with SEND. Their needs are identified early. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND who have gaps in their learning receive the help they need. Teachers make adaptations to take into account the needs of pupils with SEND. However, on occasions, these adaptations are not closely enough matched to their needs to ensure that they learn as well as they could. 24 and 25 June 2025

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Staff teach phonics and early reading skilfully. They carefully select books to ensure that they precisely match pupils’ phonics knowledge. Staff provide effective support to help pupils at risk of falling behind, gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers. Story time is a firm favourite with pupils.

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The school has worked hard to improve pupils’ attendance. It works closely with families to provide support if their child’s attendance is poor. This work is having a positive impact.

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The school’s work on pupils’ personal development is impressive. It sits at the heart of all it does. The school provides pupils with rich experiences that support their learning. For example, pupils explain how a trip to a ‘4D cinema’ helps them to understand what it was like to be a pilot in World War Two. Pupils relish the roles and responsibilities afforded to them. These include being house captains and sports ambassadors. They say these roles, ‘help us grow in confidence and be mature’. Pupils learn how to become thoughtful and caring young people who respect and appreciate the diversity of the world in which they live.

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Governors are well informed about the school’s strengths and priorities. They use this knowledge to provide effective challenge and support. Leaders are highly considerate of staff’s workload and well-being. Staff work collaboratively to improve the school’s provision further for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a very small number of subjects, the school’s curriculum is not sequenced well enough to build on pupils’ learning. Pupils do not successfully secure prior knowledge or remember the intended learning in these subjects. The school should ensure that all curriculum subjects are designed so that pupils build on the knowledge they are learning securely.  Occasionally, adaptations for some pupils with SEND do not closely match to their needs. In such cases, these pupils do not learn as successfully as they could. The school should carefully consider the adaptations to learning that it provides for pupils with SEND so that it meets their needs and enables them to learn effectively.

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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. 24 and 25 June 2025

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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). 24 and 25 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 March 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school operates a before- and after-school club.  The school is part of the Diocese of Hereford. Its most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in June 2024.

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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.  The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, groups of staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair governors. The lead inspector held a meeting with a representative of the local authority. He also had a telephone conversation with a representative of the diocese.  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 carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and art

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and design. They met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and viewed examples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke to pupils in some other subjects.  An inspector observed pupils in key stage 1 and 2 read to a trusted adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys. An inspector spoke to parents at the end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Barry Yeardsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Large 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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