St Sidwell's Church of England Primary School & Nursery

Nursery

Address: York Road, St Sidwell's Ce Primary School and Nursery, Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6PG Unique reference number (URN): 149403

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

The proportion of pupils who arrive or leave St Sidwell’s part way through their primary education is much higher than typically found. Despite this, most pupils progress very well from their starting points. Those who arrive at school with little or no knowledge of English catch up rapidly, especially in their oral and written language. Attainment is rising, and in 2025, test results were above the nationally published averages. The most able pupils perform well above the national averages. Disadvantaged pupils' attainment is also above their peers nationally and is rising.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils' current work across a range of subjects is of high quality. They remember taught content, often from many years previously. In art, they enjoy learning new vocabulary about Picasso as ‘the cubist’, or about ‘brute force hacking’ in computing. They use such subject- specific vocabulary to explain their thoughts when writing in these subjects. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders’ welcoming and inclusive culture means that pupils want to come to school regularly, and do so. They build positive friendships and enjoy sharing their experiences with other pupils from a wide range of different backgrounds.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders take the time and care to explain the importance of good attendance to parents and carers of pupils who might have different expectations. Their work to challenge misconceptions about the purpose of schooling results in notable improvements in attendance for individual pupils. It also improves attendance for groups such as disadvantaged pupils. A much-higher-than-average proportion of pupils arrive and leave the school other than at the normal times. For those who remain at the school throughout their primary education, almost all have full attendance, demonstrating their enjoyment of school and learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils' behaviour is extremely positive. Staff help pupils build their self-esteem and social skills. Interactions across the school are extremely warm. Bullying is rare and not tolerated. Leaders’ focus on pupils being kind and ‘ready, respectful and safe’ is working. Pupils go out of their way to be kind to one another, sharing resources, holding doors open and supporting younger children with their learning. The small number of pupils who need it receive timely, extra help to manage their emotions successfully.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum is ambitious across all subjects. It reflects the diverse local community and is carefully designed to develop pupils’ knowledge, alongside a sharp focus on vocabulary and language development. Starting in the early years, staff extend spoken vocabulary deliberately, building on prior knowledge very well. Leaders emphasise the key skills and knowledge that pupils need. Teachers use visual displays in every class to reinforce correct sitting positions, pencil grip and posture when writing. This is so that good habits become embedded.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers have a strong understanding of how children learn and demonstrate high levels of subject knowledge across the curriculum. For example, phonics and mathematics teaching are precise and highly effective. Teachers ensure that no learning time is wasted. Staff break content into smaller steps and use visual approaches that reinforce pupils’ understanding. All adults are determined to help pupils overcome any barriers or close gaps in key knowledge quickly. Consequently, adaptations to learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and disadvantaged pupils are timely and personalised. Staff throughout the school help pupils to develop the confidence they need to engage in and talk about their learning successfully.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders invest time in building trusting relationships with parents and carers. From the moment children start in Nursery, these strong relationships support children’s progress and wellbeing. Many children begin with language and vocabulary below the typical levels for their age. By the end of the early years, they reach a good level of development that is comparable with national outcomes.

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Early years Strong standard

The early years provision offers a nurturing, stimulating environment where children develop skills for lifelong learning. The curriculum ensures children overcome communication, personal, social and emotional barriers early. Thoughtful provision for 3-year-olds is well matched to children’s developmental needs.

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Early years Strong standard

Activity ‘stations’ encourage children's curiosity as they explore making footprints in wet sand. Purposeful, child-initiated learning enables them to learn about feelings by making happy or sad faces in dry flour. Activities spark their imagination while promoting independence, respect and empathy for each other.

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Early years Strong standard

Children thrive in the early years because of the quality of the curriculum, the resources and the high-quality interactions with adults. For example, staff use specific mathematical vocabulary, such as 'capacity', intentionally, which children then know, understand and use during their imaginative water play. Precise phonics teaching ensures that children acquire the knowledge needed to recognise the sounds that letters make and decode words.

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Inclusion Strong standard

St Sidwell’s is a highly inclusive school. Leaders’ determined efforts and coordinated approaches support pupils with a wide range of needs. These actions successfully help pupils to overcome their personal and academic challenges. All staff, external professionals and parents and carers work closely together to ensure that pupils develop a deep sense of belonging, including for the many who join the school part way through their primary education.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff immediately identify the needs of all pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff use their expertise to deliver effective strategies that successfully reduce barriers to learning. Leaders continually adapt the curriculum and refine teaching approaches so that pupils acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to achieve academically and personally. Communication and language development underpin the school’s practice. External specialists support staff to develop effective programmes and promote highly inclusive practices.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Effective use of the pupil premium funding enables pupils to achieve, belong and thrive. For example, leaders ensure that pupils can easily access sport, art or musical clubs, or provide additional academic support so that pupils achieve the standards they are capable of by the end of key stage 2.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have expertly steered and embedded improvements across the school. The dedicated leadership team works collectively to drive progress and support pupils’ learning. Well-designed quality assurance processes inform leaders' next steps in curriculum development, teaching quality and inclusive practice. Their approach reflects honest self- evaluation, thoughtful analysis and clear determination to ensure that improvement priorities translate into meaningful action. These efforts are evident in notable gains in pupils’ achievement, teaching, the curriculum, attendance and inclusive practices.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff feel well supported by leaders. They share leaders’ passion and thirst for continued success. Some staff are keen to contribute further to ongoing improvement work. Parents and carers are universally positive about their children’s experiences.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Support from the trust is purposeful and detailed and aligns closely with the school’s vision. Trust leaders identify precise points for improvement across a range of the school’s work. Valuable opportunities for professional development, subject networks and career pathways support staff aspirations.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Local governors hold a thorough understanding of the school’s work. They obtain detailed reports that enable them to challenge and support leaders effectively. Well-defined reporting arrangements enable the trust board to maintain detailed oversight and contribute to the ongoing improvements at the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils and staff feel inspired by the school’s personal development programme. Planned activities increasingly connect pupils with the wider world. For example, pupils created a film for the globally significant Conference of the Parties in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan. This raised pupils’ awareness of environmental issues. Daily actions by the eco-council to ‘Let’s Go Zero’ bring such environmental matters to life for pupils and prepare them for life beyond school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils understand the importance of respecting people's similarities and differences. They demonstrate confidence in their understanding of fundamental British values. Their daily interactions demonstrate the school values in action. Pupils value staff at the school saying they are ‘kind and patient’. They develop detailed knowledge of relationships and health education, including about the risks involved when using social media. Pupils’ awareness of road safety prepares them for the immediate risks around the school. The breadth of connected experiences for pupils especially supports the most disadvantaged pupils to be successful. Pupils actively contribute to school life by taking on democratic roles, such as serving as school councillors. They value the opportunities to connect with others, learn about different cultures and engage with the arts. Pupils speak enthusiastically about the memories they create at school, such as the dancing and

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

costumes at the ‘Bollywood and Bhangra’ evening. Trips to the local Alibi and Image theatre, performances at the Exeter Phoenix multi-arts venue and Shumba Arts drumming workshops support artistic, musical and cultural development well.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders check club attendance to help more pupils benefit from the school’s offer of knitting, chess or dungeons and dragons. Thorough analysis helps leaders ensure that activities are made available to all pupils. Educational trips and visits to Dartmoor farms are purposeful, deliberate and have a clear, positive impact on pupils’ personal development experiences.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils thrive at this highly inclusive school. They feel self-assured and enjoy coming to school. Pupils have a lasting sense of belonging and feel safe. They contribute positively to their community, for example through litter-picking campaigns, performing in places of worship or taking part in cultural community events led by local faith leaders. Pupils behave with care. They display kindness and patience towards each other and staff, showing respect to all. Playtimes and lunchtimes are calm and well managed, where pupils play and talk happily together. Bullying is rare and is dealt with quickly if it ever happens.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils learn enthusiastically and attend regularly. If any are at risk of lower attendance, leaders use imaginative approaches to remove barriers, such as the use of ‘engagement robots’ in class, to help them to attend better.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Children in early years, as well as pupils who join the school in later years, make a strong start, because staff hold a deep understanding of the challenges affecting their learning and wellbeing. Staff swiftly identify barriers and take immediate action to reduce them. In particular, the school's work to overcome language and vocabulary barriers for those pupils who speak English as an additional language is impressive. The school engages with the community right from the outset, establishing trust and a shared understanding so pupils receive the correct help and support they need to succeed.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The curriculum is ambitious. It is taught consistently well so that pupils’ knowledge and understanding deepen over time. The school’s expert provision in reading, writing and mathematics ensures that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieve well from their starting points. Pupils achieve well in other subjects, too. Published outcomes in national tests show that, by the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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Next steps

• Leaders should continue their strategy of supporting middle leaders so they can play a greater part in securing further improvements across the school.

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About this inspection

This school is part of of St Christopher's Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Phil Banks, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Bailey.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and a group of staff to consider their views. The lead inspector held a discussion with the chief executive officer and director of education from the trust and members of the trust board and local governing body.

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About this inspection

Inspectors visited all classrooms to look at pupils' work and the curriculum, and to speak with pupils about their learning and participation in wider school activities.

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About this inspection

The school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is part of the Diocese of Exeter. It received a section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character in November 2024. The next inspection is due within 5 years from this date.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with some parents at the start of the school day. They considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.

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About this inspection

Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

Almost half of pupils who attend the school speak English as an additional language.

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About this inspection

The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school during their primary education is much higher than is typically seen.

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About this inspection

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has nursery provision for 3-year-olds.

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Team inspectors:

Matthew Shirley, Ofsted Inspector Sarah Forster, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 66% 61% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 79% 74% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 79% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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gap

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 5.1% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.0% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.4% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 12.7% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 17.5% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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