Westonzoyland Community Primary School

Inspection of Westonzoyland Community Primary School Cheer Lane, Westonzoyland, Bridgwater, Somerset TA7 0EY

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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 Good 15 and 16 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Westonzoyland Community Primary School. They describe it as a friendly and welcoming school, where everyone is included. The school’s values, to embrace opportunity, choose kindness and value everyone help to teach pupils how to behave. From pre-school onwards, children play well with others. Bullying is rare and never tolerated. Pupils are proud of the rewards that they receive for their work. The school is calm so pupils can learn without disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is inclusive and is committed to ensuring all pupils achieve their best. Staff build warm positive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils feel safe and develops their resilience. The recent improvements to the curriculum mean that pupils now learn and remember more across the curriculum. However, these improvements are not fully reflected in all the school’s published outcomes for 2024, specifically for pupils reaching the higher standard.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like to take on responsibilities to help others. For example, the well-being ambassadors support pupils to make friends and resolve disagreements. They care for the school garden, creating a quiet and calming place for pupils to enjoy. Pupils organise activities for each other, such as planning and hosting the Westonzoyland talent competition. Educational visits in the local area help to bring the curriculum to life for pupils.

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

The school has recently made changes to the curriculum so that pupils from pre-school to Year 6 build their skills and understanding. Pupils enjoy the more challenging work they are now given. For example, they talk enthusiastically about the scientific experiments they have conducted.

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

As pupils have only recently begun to benefit from the new curriculum, they have historic gaps in their knowledge. In some subjects, there is insufficient checking of what pupils know and remember before introducing the new learning. Consequently, some pupils are not building on their prior learning and achieving as highly as they should.

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

Pupils learn to read from Reception Year. Skilled staff ensure that pupils build their confidence and accuracy to become independent readers. Pupils of all ages enjoy sharing stories as a class. They enthusiastically recommend new books to each other. This love of reading is shared with families through events, such as ‘books and biscuits’. Pupils who find reading challenging are supported to catch up and keep up with their peers.

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

The school’s approach to developing pupils writing skills is less well established. The expectations for the accuracy of handwriting, spelling and punctuation are not consistently upheld. This means that the quality of written work for some pupils is not equally high across the curriculum. 15 and 16 July 2025

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The school swiftly identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff plan effective support for pupils appropriate to their stage of education. Comprehensive information is shared with staff to ensure that these pupils are known well as individuals. The inclusive culture of the school means pupils are well supported to thrive and be ready for their next phase of education.

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The school promotes the importance of high attendance. Pupils enjoy attending school, arriving promptly to begin the day. When absence is a concern, the school collaborates with families to provide support. This is beginning to have a positive impact in the number of pupils who are persistently absent from school.

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Children in the early years settle well. The school prioritises a smooth transition for children when they join the pre-school or start in Reception. This is valued by parents. Children’s curiosity is encouraged. They use their imagination to create their own adventures in the outside spaces. This means that children are well prepared for Year 1.

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The school provides high-quality pastoral support. Pupils learn to look after their physical and mental health. They understand the risks associated with being online. The therapy dogs, Pippin and Cora, help pupils to feel less anxious. The importance of tolerance and respect for others is clearly understood by pupils. They are inquisitive about the world, including developing their knowledge of different religions. Therefore, pupils are well prepared to be citizens in modern Britain.

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Pupils enjoy the range of clubs and activities offered to develop their interests. They are proud to represent the school at sports, such as cricket. Drama performances and concerts showcase pupils’ talents and bring the school together as a community. Pupils take part in adventurous activities in the school forest area. Residential trips are also highlights of the school year for pupils as they build their independence and resilience.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas of development for the school. The school has sought the support of the local authority to revise and evaluate the new curriculum. Staff have valued the additional training provided to develop their skills and subject knowledge. Although there has been a significant period of change, leaders have remained mindful of staff workload and well-being. Staff enjoy working at the school and are committed to the ongoing refinement of the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is still being developed in some subjects. It is not used well enough to check that pupils have remembered the knowledge they have been taught or to decide 15 and 16 July 2025

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on the next steps in learning. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their understanding and do not build their knowledge well over time. The school needs to ensure that teachers use assessment effectively across all subjects and use this information to inform future learning.  The school’s approach to writing is not implemented well enough. As a result, some pupils do not develop the foundational skills of spelling, punctuation and handwriting as well as they should. The school should ensure that staff have consistent expectations of, and approaches to, the teaching of writing across all subjects so that pupils improve the quality of their written work across the curriculum.

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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). 15 and 16 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Amy Saturley and Laura Proud (co-chairs)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 February 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a pre-school on site for children aged two to four.  There is a breakfast club and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 15 and 16 July 2025

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 Inspectors held discussions with school leaders at all levels. Inspectors also spoke with teaching staff, support staff and governors. An inspector also spoke with the school improvement partners.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum for writing, science, geography and art and design. This also included talking to pupils and looking at samples of their work.  The early years provision was considered through the deep dives as well as through additional visits during the inspection.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at lunchtime and breaktimes.  Inspectors viewed a range of school documentation, including the minutes of

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governance meetings, the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the view 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 considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, as well as responses to the staff survey and pupil survey. Inspectors also spoke with parents and carers at the start and end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Sara Berry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sophie Hillson His Majesty’s Inspector 15 and 16 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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