Guestling Bradshaw Church of England Primary School

School

Address: Rye Road, Guestling, Hastings, East Sussex, TN35 4LS Unique reference number (URN): 114551

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The wider personal development of pupils is a real strength of the school. This is especially the case for the tailored pastoral support that pupils receive. Pupils are known individually by staff who are attuned to any changes in their wellbeing. This allows for swift support to be put in place where it is needed. Leaders have made changes to their physical environment, creating supportive spaces such as ‘the nest’ and 'the calm room’ to support pupils who need more tailored interventions to help them settle into the school day. Work in these spaces is carefully considered and expert in nature. Pupils receive apt support to regulate their emotions and settle into school, so that they can make a success of their day and contribute well as part of their school community.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school has put in place a highly effective curriculum for personal, social, emotional, health and relationships education. This helps pupils to understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy, and the importance of tolerance and respect. Pupils develop very secure knowledge and understanding of their learning across these lessons. For example, pupils talk in depth about the importance of winning well and accepting loss gracefully.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils contribute to their school community in a range of different ways, through their highly positive conduct and how they treat one another, as well as through specific roles they clamour for. Leadership opportunities, such as being ‘wellbeing warriors’ or ‘Guestling guardians’, allow pupils to support their peers. Older pupils in this school are role models for those younger, whether this is Year 6 pupils bringing their early years counterparts into assembly, checking in on them throughout the day or organising games for them during breaktimes. Consistent across all these responsibilities is the seriousness with which these roles are taken. Pupils take real pride in how they can contribute to making their community stronger and even more welcoming.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

A range of clubs and activities develop pupils’ interests across a breadth of areas. The take- up of these opportunities is positive and leaders ensure that the most disadvantaged pupils make good use of this offer.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils develop appropriate knowledge and skills across subjects and can talk confidently about what they have learned. Foundational knowledge is typically taught well to support pupils to access the curriculum effectively and communicate clearly. Staff undertake reviews and recaps of previous learning with pupils at key points. These are helpful in supporting pupils to connect their learning over time and remember it longer term.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils achieve well in this school, with most outcomes sitting at or above national averages in end of key stage assessments. This is also the case for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, who progress well from their starting points and achieve positively. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Typically, most pupils attend well. While overall attendance sits just below national averages, it has been improving over time. Leaders get to know pupils and their families especially well. They identify the barriers to good attendance and work to tackle them. The levels of persistent absence in school, especially for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, sits above national averages and is not improving at the rate that it needs to. This data does not fully illustrate the picture within school, however. Significant numbers of in-year admissions mean that the data is not fully representative of the impactful work that leaders undertake in this area. There are numerous examples where their work is having a rapid and positive impact on pupils’ attendance. This includes for the most vulnerable pupils, many of whom have joined the school with prior challenges around attending school well,

p.3

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

and those who have only been in school for a short amount of time. For these pupils, leaders take effective steps that are improving the rates at which these pupils attend. Leaders recognise, however, that there is still more to do to ensure that this work continues to support all pupils to attend school fully.

p.3

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils’ behaviour around the school is highly positive. Both in lessons and around the school, there is a sense of purpose and calm. Pupils show high levels of self-control as a result of the structures and routines that are applied consistently and embedded across the school. These systems ensure that pupils feel safe, treat one another well and show respect for their community and their school. For the small numbers of pupils who need more support with their behaviour, leaders make appropriate interventions.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate oversight of their curriculum and teaching in the school. They have taken effective steps to address the areas highlighted as needing to improve from the last inspection. For example, the curriculum is now well planned across subjects to build the developing knowledge and skills that pupils need. Phonics training is systematic so that staff are well equipped to deliver the school's chosen scheme effectively. Where pupils need greater support to read, particularly with confidence and fluency, this is provided effectively.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

In lessons, staff know their subjects well and deliver them with clarity. Pupils’ individual needs are understood and staff make adaptations so that pupils can access their learning effectively.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers make checks to ensure that pupils have understood their learning. Where this practice is strongest, staff make adjustments to tasks or to explanations so that any misconceptions are corrected in the moment. At times, however, this is not as sharp or precise as it could be. On occasions, staff miss opportunities to spot misconceptions or correct errors. For example, in pupils’ writing, errors in foundational skills are not consistently picked up to support pupils in practising and securing these skills as effectively as they might.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders and staff have undertaken considerable work to develop their early years provision at the school. Effective actions have been taken to ensure that the curriculum and the way that it is delivered are increasingly successful. Staff know and anticipate children’s needs well. Explanations and input are adapted to support these children in accessing their learning. As a result, children achieve increasingly well and are well prepared for the next steps of their education.

p.4

Early years Expected standard

Within the early years classroom, children’s imagination is captured by the range of well- judged activities that help develop their understanding as they engage in them. Relationships are very positive, and there is a warm and supportive culture within this space. High-quality interactions between staff and children help support their growing vocabulary, leading to children being able to use these confidently themselves.

p.4

Early years Expected standard

Within both the indoor and outdoor provision, carefully designed activities support pupils’ learning and development effectively. Leaders have plans to develop this further still, for example as their prioritisation of key vocabulary in the indoor space is planned to be replicated in the external space to help further reinforce opportunities for children’s development of language.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established a culture where inclusion and adaptive practice are central to their school. Pupils’ needs are identified carefully and understood by staff fully. Leaders ensure that staff are trained well so that they make effective adaptations to learning in lessons. These adaptations ensure that pupils can access their learning, engage readily and achieve well. Additional interventions are well tailored to further support pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders adapt their provision so that it supports pupils’ changing needs and enacts their inclusive vision. For example, the creation of additional spaces such as ‘the nest’ and 'the calm room’ support pupils who need additional help to transition into their learning or when they find things more challenging. Here, expert staff support them in regulating their emotions so that they can settle and engage effectively in their education. This support helps pupils make effective progress from their starting points.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The school considers how it uses additional funding, for example for those in receipt of the pupil premium. This spending is carefully evaluated to ensure that pupils have the support they need to reduce barriers and help them thrive.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the strengths of their school and the areas they want to develop. They are tireless in their desire for things to continue to improve for the pupils in their care. Where they turn their attention, positive improvements are evident. Leaders are outward looking. They make fruitful connections with local networks and alliances so that they can benefit from, and share with others, effective practice that will make a difference to pupils.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors understand the school well. They hold leaders to account effectively, to ensure that the school develops well. They make careful checks to ensure that leaders’ work is having the impact it needs to.

p.5

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are happy to work in this school and be part of a tight-knit community. They feel well supported by leaders who they know consider their workload and wellbeing. They feel valued both professionally and personally. Their professional learning is well considered and they receive meaningful training, both to develop the school’s provision but also to support their future career progression.

p.5

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers are highly positive about the school, its leaders, and the readiness of staff to engage with them. This is consistently the case both for those who have been at the school for some time, and also for those who have moved their child to the school as its reputation for its supportive culture and ethos has grown.

p.5

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

There is a palpable sense of community and kindness within Guestling Bradshaw Church of England Primary School. Pupils and staff alike are happy and feel part of a well-supported community. Parents and carers describe the way their children ‘skip to school’ and ‘flourish’ because staff ‘really care about them’. Pupils are known especially well as individuals, receiving regular check-ins from staff both in terms of their emotional wellbeing, their interests and how they are finding their learning.

p.5

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

Behaviour here is a particular strength. Pupils are keen and motivated to learn, engaged in their lessons and keen to share what they know. Around the school site they treat one another with high levels of respect and move keenly to lessons to get on with learning. Bullying is rare. Where pupils need more tailored support to help meet the high expectations that staff have of their behaviour, they receive it and it is impactful.

p.5

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

Pupils achieve well in this school. They show a keen interest in their learning and are keen to talk about what they have understood. Those who have additional barriers to their learning are supported well so that they too thrive within this caring school.

p.5

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

Pupils take a lead role in making sure that their school community continues to be successful. Whether through their leadership roles, or through the chance to act as role models for one another, pupils here are keen to celebrate each other's successes. This fosters the warm and supportive community within the school.

p.5

Team inspectors:

Kate Owbridge, Ofsted Inspector Lenny Williams, Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff's use of assessment is consistently sharp, so that any misconceptions in pupils' understanding or work can be identified and remedied rapidly. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that foundational elements in older pupils' writing are routinely identified and corrected, to build upon and reinforce the effective teaching of these concepts lower down the school. Leaders need to continue to develop and embed their work to support pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to wellbeing, in attending more fully.

p.6

About this inspection

The co-chairs of the board of governors in this school are Isabelle Hodger and Ruth Heyes.

p.6

About this inspection

This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Chichester. The last section 48 inspection took place in January 2025.

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with a range of leaders during the inspection, including the headteacher and deputy headteacher. The lead inspector also held meetings with the members of governing board, including the co-chairs. The lead inspector also held a telephone meeting with a representative from the local authority, and another with a representative from the diocese.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

p.6

About this inspection

The school currently uses no forms of alternative provision.

p.6

About this inspection

Headteacher: Siobhan Andrews This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 23 June 2026

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

p.7

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.

p.8

What does this mean?

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

p.8

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.

p.8

What does this mean?

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

p.9

average

2022/23 (final) 77% 73% Close to average

p.9

Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

p.9

average

2024/25 (final) 78% 72% Close to average

p.9

average

2022/23 (final) 74% 71% Close to average

p.9

Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

p.10

average

2024/25 (final) 81% 74% Close to average

p.10

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.

p.10

mathematics

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

p.10

average

2024/25 (final) 56% 47% Close to average

p.10

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

p.10

national average

2022/23 (final) 57% 60% Close to average

p.11

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

p.11

average

2024/25 (final) 67% 59% Close to average

p.11

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

p.11

average

2022/23 (final) 57% 59% Close to average

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.12

mathematics

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

p.12

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

p.12

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.

p.13

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

p.13

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.

p.13

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.

p.13

national average

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

p.14

Persistent absence

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

p.14

national average

2022/23 (3 term) 18.3% 16.2% Close to average

p.14

Exceptional

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

p.14

Strong standard

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

p.14

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.

p.14

Needs attention

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

p.14

Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.14

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.15

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.15

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.15

Urgent improvement

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

p.15