Bembridge Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged Good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Bembridge Church of England Primary School Walls Road, Bembridge, Isle of Wight PO35 5RH

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Outcome

Bembridge Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. They are happy seeing their friends and learning in their lessons. The school’s values of ‘love, courage and respect’ are evident throughout the school, where pupils strive to demonstrate them. Pupils know that they can go to staff if they have any concerns. They are confident that they will be supported. This makes pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard in lessons and are keen to share what they know. They achieve well, behave positively and develop warm relationships with staff. Pupils enjoy play times and make the most of a variety of activities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have the chance to take up the many available enrichment opportunities. These include sports clubs, such as football, tag rugby and fencing. There are also opportunities to develop pupils’ talents in art and drama. Educational visits build on what pupils learn in the classroom. Pupils develop their teamwork and social skills, such as on residential visits. Visits to the zoo and an indoor rainforest are memorable for the pupils and enhance their learning.

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

The curriculum ensures that pupils learn a broad range of subjects. Knowledge is organised in a sensible order. This allows pupils to build on what they already know. Teachers are experts in the subjects they teach. Activities enable pupils to develop their understanding of the important knowledge and secure their understanding. Staff make 1 and 2 July 2025

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careful checks on pupils’ learning. They are quick to identify and address any misconceptions. This means that pupils do not carry them forward to future learning. However, the subject-specific vocabulary that pupils need to know is not secured at times by pupils. This means that they do not deepen their understanding and, therefore, do not achieve as well as they could.

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Training is given to staff to deliver the reading curriculum. This training supports them to develop their expertise. Staff and pupils use a shared language for reading. Phonics teaching supports pupils to read at age-appropriate levels. Where pupils fall behind, they are identified through timely assessment. Support is put into place that enables them to catch up. This continues throughout the school. Pupils become fluent readers and develop a love for reading.

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Staff identify the individual needs of pupils. They work with families closely to meet pupils’ personalised targets. Staff know pupils’ needs well and adapt learning to support pupils. This means that pupils with SEND achieve well throughout the school.

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Children get off to a flying start in the early years. Staff interact with pupils in a purposeful way. This ensures that they make the most of every learning opportunity. Various activities are designed to build on what children already know. Children are helped to develop their reading and writing skills, which prepares them well for Year 1 and beyond.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They are polite to each other and cooperate in their work. When there is disruption in lessons, staff use the school’s behaviour systems fairly. This leads to an environment where pupils can learn. Attendance is a focus for the school. Staff work with individual families to overcome any barriers to attendance. They track attendance closely and put appropriate actions in place when it falls below expected levels. The positive class rewards for strong attendance are appreciated by pupils. Overall attendance has improved.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy, which includes their mental health. They are able to discuss how to keep themselves safe online. Leadership opportunities, such as the school council and eco-council, build pupils’ character and enable them to be active citizens in the school. They also learn specific information on keeping themselves safe by the sea. Relationship education is age appropriate, preparing pupils as they get older. Pupils learn about a range of religions, which gives them an appreciation of what others believe and how this is similar and different to their beliefs. Pupils are respectful of difference and understand how they should treat each other.

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Professional development of staff is prioritised in the school. This is closely linked to the areas that the school is developing and is having an impact on the education of pupils. Governors understand the strengths and areas to develop in the school and challenge it to improve. Governors fulfil their statutory obligations. Most staff believe that their workload is considered by the school. Leaders continue to focus on this and how it can be reduced. 1 and 2 July 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the precise subject-specific vocabulary that pupils need to know is not secured. This means that pupils are not able to achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that subject-specific vocabulary is explained consistently across the curriculum.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2019.

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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. 1 and 2 July 2025

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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). 1 and 2 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Del Abell and Sally-Ann Davis (co-chairs)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school and part of the Diocese of Portsmouth.  The school had a section 48 inspection on 17 October 2024.  The headteacher took up their post in September 2021.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, representatives of the local authority, senior leaders, staff and pupils. The inspector also met with a member of the diocese and the co-chairs of the local governing body. 1 and 2 July 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 and open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector took account of a range of information, including the school’s development plans, school policies and local governing board minutes.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their experience of the school. The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. The inspector also took account of staff’s views through conversations and responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Paul Grundy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 July 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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