Beedon C.E. (Controlled) Primary School

Beedon C.E. (Controlled) Primary School

Address: Stanmore Road, Beedon, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 8SL Unique reference number (URN): 109950

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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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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have created an inclusive culture that reflects the needs of pupils. They identify pupils' needs early and accurately. Working closely with families, leaders draw on specialist expertise where required. They have a clear understanding of pupils' barriers. This shapes well-targeted support that improves pupils' day-to-day experiences.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders provide adaptations for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities through an effective graduated approach. Staff receive regular training that enables them to apply this approach with consistency. Carefully selected interventions strengthen pupils' communication, language and vocabulary. Interventions help to reduce barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use pupil premium funding purposefully. Their strategy reflects the school's context, and they monitor the impact of support closely. Staff adjust provision when needed.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders maintain highly effective oversight of any alternative provision use. They use placements only when these serve pupils' best interests. Leaders monitor placements closely to check pupils' safety, attendance and wellbeing. This ensures that pupils who attend alternative provision remain connected to the school's inclusive culture.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Across the school, staff share leaders' high expectations and work collaboratively to remove barriers so that pupils with significant disadvantages can thrive.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders track attendance rigorously. They understand the specific challenges presented by the school's highly mobile cohort. This means that published data shows a trend of low attendance over time. However, leaders' work is increasingly helping pupils to attend more regularly. They analyse each pupil's circumstances carefully. Leaders work closely with parents, external agencies and pupils to identify the barriers that prevent regular attendance. They put in place tailored, personalised approaches that support pupils to come to school more consistently. Leaders monitor these actions closely. As a result, there is a clear improvement in pupils' attendance rates.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders and staff have created a calm, orderly and respectful environment in which pupils feel safe, supported and ready to learn. Positive, trusting relationships between adults and pupils underpin the school's approach to behaviour. Staff apply agreed routines and expectations consistently. Pupils understand what the school expects of them throughout the school day. Where pupils need specific adaptations, staff monitor these carefully and adjust them when they need to. These approaches help pupils to regulate their emotions. They meet behaviour expectations and develop positive attitudes to learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, leaders have developed a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum. It identifies the key concepts and vocabulary that pupils need to know. Teachers understand how learning builds over time. Staff draw on secure subject knowledge to present information clearly. Typically, leaders ensure that teachers know what needs to be taught and when. However, in a few subjects learning is not designed as precisely. Consequently, pupils do not deepen their learning as well as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders adapt the curriculum thoughtfully. They have considered carefully how to group pupils so that they can access age-appropriate content while maintaining ambition in mixed- age classes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers use assessment to check understanding and identify gaps. When used well, this helps staff adjust explanations and tasks so pupils can keep up. However, this precision is not yet consistent across all subjects. Leaders recognise the need for refinements so that staff routinely adapt teaching at the point of need. This is particularly important for pupils who join mid-year.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Across subjects, teachers consider the needs of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Adaptations, including targeted support and clear routines, help to reduce barriers to pupils accessing the curriculum. Leaders continue to strengthen staff expertise. This supports many pupils to secure important foundations in their reading, writing and mathematics knowledge.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school's highly complex context. They respond thoughtfully to the significant challenges posed by very small cohort sizes and high pupil mobility. Leaders adapt timetables, staffing and learning environments so that the school meets pupils' individual needs from the moment they join. They work effectively with external agencies and specialists. Leaders ensure transitions are well informed. They prioritise pupils' safety, wellbeing and readiness to learn.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders' strategic decisions are firmly rooted in what is best for pupils. They foster an inclusive culture in which they welcome every pupil and address barriers to learning promptly. Leaders' communication with families is highly effective. Parents' positive feedback reflects the nurturing ethos that the school promotes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors are knowledgeable about the school's context and understand the implications of its challenges. They have a clear vision for the school's strategic direction and use this to guide their support and challenge. Governors hold leaders to account appropriately for the quality of education and care on offer. In doing so, they give particular attention to inclusion, safeguarding and the effectiveness of provision for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders prioritise high-quality professional learning for staff. Training is well considered, evidence informed and aligned to the needs of the community. Staff feel well supported and equipped to work with pupils who have complex needs. The school also benefits from

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Needs attention

collaboration across the federation. This helps to manage staff workload and develop shared expertise, particularly in curriculum planning and specialist support for vulnerable pupils. Leaders and staff work cohesively to sustain improvements over time.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides a coherent programme for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Opportunities for reflection are woven through the curriculum from the early years to Year 6. This allows pupils to think about themselves and the wider world. Subjects such as art and reading expose pupils to diverse cultures and perspectives. Pupils engage thoughtfully with discussions about a range of beliefs, which strengthens their spiritual understanding.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils access a broad range of wider opportunities that are provided across the federation. Trips and shared events with partner schools help pupils connect with others and extend their learning beyond the classroom.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Participation in extra-curricular activities is high, including among disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This reflects leaders' commitment to encouraging all pupils to participate. A nurturing approach helps pupils manage their emotions and sustain their wellbeing. Leaders provide spaces such as 'The Den' and 'The Butterfly Room' to support pupils' wellbeing. Pupils value these safe environments and use them effectively.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Teachers deliver citizenship and safety education through the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum. Assemblies reinforce key messages about managing emotions and encourage pupils to reflect on their behaviour and choices. However, some pupils' recall and application of some important PSHE concepts, including the fundamental British values, are inconsistent. While some pupils can often name these ideas, they are less secure in applying them to their own lives. Leaders are currently refining the curriculum so pupils develop a deeper understanding in these areas.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a wide range of cultural, sporting and artistic opportunities that contribute substantially to pupils' character development. These experiences help foster an environment in which pupils feel safe, supported and ready to learn.

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Achievement Needs attention

Despite recent improvements in early reading, published outcomes at the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics remain typically below national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils. This is because some pupils are not yet achieving as well as they should.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders' focus on reading is having a positive effect. Recent phonics outcomes and developing reading fluency are beginning to help more pupils access the taught curriculum as intended. Leaders have also prioritised mathematics. However, the full impact of this work is not yet reflected in national outcomes.

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Achievement Needs attention

Across the wider curriculum, pupils, particularly those who join mid-year or in older year groups, often have notable gaps. While the school supports pupils to close these, pupils do not yet apply their foundational skills consistently across all subjects. This is because the most important knowledge in each subject is not always explicitly defined and prioritised so that pupils know more and remember more over time. This limits how well prepared they are for their next steps.

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

Pupils arrive at Beedon C.E. (Controlled) Primary School with a wide range of individual strengths and needs. Staff understand these needs deeply. Warm, trusting relationships with adults help pupils to feel safe and ready to learn. Pupils feel that they belong in this caring and inclusive school. They enter school calmly through highly personalised routines, including use of the nurture space or carefully planned individual starts to the school day.

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

Pupils explain that behaviour has improved considerably in recent years. They understand the school's expectations and respond well to the consistent approaches used by staff. Social times are positive and include everyone. Pupils play happily together and show care for one another. Incidents of poor behaviour have reduced markedly. Adults identify potential issues early and use effective strategies to reduce tensions. Pupils say that bullying does not happen here. If disagreements occur, staff help them to resolve issues successfully and fairly.

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

Pupils enjoy many aspects of their learning, especially reading, mathematics, learning outdoors and practical activities. They talk about school trips and shared events at partner schools with excitement. These experiences help them to feel part of a wider community. However, these experiences do not always help pupils, particularly those who have joined the school recently, to gain the knowledge that they need to be fully prepared for their next steps. More widely, pupils' learning across some aspects of the curriculum is inconsistent.

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

Attendance is improving, although rates remain low overall. Leaders' work is helping pupils who stay longer at the school to attend more regularly over time. Leaders' persistent work helps families to overcome barriers to attendance.

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

Pupils value the nurturing environment and the adults who support them. Opportunities help them grow in confidence and enjoy school life.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that the curriculum outlines precisely what is to be taught and when in all subjects so that pupils' achievement improves further. • Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills that they need to address

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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. any gaps in pupils' knowledge so that pupils can confidently apply their foundational knowledge, language and communication skills in different subjects.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Andy Tow.

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About this inspection

The school is part of a federation called The Downland Federation.

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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 head of school, the director of primaries and the executive headteacher during the inspection. They also met with members of the governing body, representatives of the local authority and the diocese, staff, pupils and parents.

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. The school's next section 48 Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools is due in the next 4 years. The last inspection of this type took place in January 2025.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about this school:

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 2 alternative providers, including one that is unregistered.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were a very small number of children on roll in the early years.

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About this inspection

Head of School : Gemma Holbrook This data is from 3 February 2026

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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 73% 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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of 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

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

2022/23 (final) S 59% S ‘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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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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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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Persistent absence

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

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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

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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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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