Southrop Church of England Primary School

Southrop Church of England Primary School

Address: Southrop, Southrop C of E Primary School, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, GL7 3NU Unique reference number (URN): 115651

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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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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school's personal development and well-being programme is a strength. Leaders have created a coherent programme. This ensures pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other challenges, fully benefit from this exciting offer. Leaders have created a comprehensive pastoral support network for pupils. All adults frequently check in with pupils. Staff provide emotional literacy support, and access to the 'nurture room'. Staff have a precise awareness of mental health and its importance for all pupils and their success.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils have a real understanding of important values and how to be a positive citizen. They see democracy in action at school. Pupils connect this to classroom learning on crime and punishment. Pupils' demonstrate an acute understanding of discrimination and stereotypes. This helps them think about others, including students who may need extra support. Pupils demonstrate a passion for equality. Pupils recall in detail the breadth of diversity in British society, including the types of families that might exist. They can talk in depth and with the utmost respect about various religions and what differing beliefs they may have.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils learn about relationships in an age-appropriate way. This begins in the early years. Children build friendships and learn the fundamentals of respecting one another. Older pupils talk with maturity about the importance of healthy relationships and consent. Pupils feel safe. They can explain how to stay safe online and in their locality. They gain this knowledge in class and through visits from the local police community officer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have put in place a wide range of different opportunities and experiences for pupils. They ensure that all pupils participate. Pupils excitedly share how they can help the school and community. They enjoy fundraising, performing and taking on leadership roles. The school council relishes organising non-uniform days. These raise money for various charities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have developed the curriculum since the previous inspection. They have thought carefully about how the curriculum builds pupils' knowledge and skills over time. This means that pupils progress through various topics and themes in a logical order. For example, in the early years and key stage 1, pupils learn how to compare different cities. Older pupils explore different historical periods and ancient civilisations, such as the Ancient Egyptians.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers generally deliver the curriculum as leaders intend. They demonstrate secure subject knowledge and use a range of effective teaching strategies. Scaffolds, prompts and modelling enable pupils to learn and make progress in all subjects. Regular checks on learning help staff see how well pupils understand. However, in some cases, these checks could be more precise. Although teachers typically adapt tasks to support weaker learners, opportunities to deepen pupils' knowledge and understanding are sometimes missed. Expectations of how pupils present their work are inconsistent.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders have embedded their approaches to phonics and early reading. Staff are well trained in phonics teaching. They deliver the school's phonics programme effectively. Pupils who struggle with reading receive additional practice. This helps them to catch up. Reading is given high priority in the school, and as a result, pupils are confident readers.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have developed a sequenced curriculum that helps children develop skills and knowledge over time. They have designed the curriculum to meet children's needs from the moment they join. Leaders have given thoughtful consideration to how to utilise the space available to the children. This means that children have access to different areas of learning at the same time. For example, children develop their mathematical language when they play in the water tray with measuring jugs. At the same time, children build ramps from their personal designs and make potions out of flowers.

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Early years Expected standard

Adults use their close bonds with children to help them gain independence and build their language skills. Interactions allow children to concentrate, explore and talk about their ideas.

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Early years Expected standard

Supportive staff help children in the early years to feel safe and enjoy their learning. Staff focus on children's communication and language so they develop their speaking and listening skills. Carefully planned opportunities for mark-making support children's early writing development. Children in the early years learn to write with a secure pencil grip, and they practise these skills daily. Typically, children make successful progress from their starting points. This means that most children leave the Reception Year ready to continue their learning in Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established clear systems to accurately identify and address any barriers that pupils may face. Leaders work closely with a range of external professionals and therapists. They use this information accurately to assess the ongoing needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders recognise that adaptations could be more precise and targeted. However, pupils usually receive appropriate help at the right time. For example, strategies such as specific seating plans and visual timetables enable pupils to develop independence during their lessons. Staff receive relevant training to develop their expertise when supporting pupils with SEND. For example, recent training on supporting pupils with autism has strengthened classroom provision.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use extra funding effectively. This way, all pupils can access musical instrument tuition without financial barriers. They also link this funding to whole-school priorities. For example, additional support for pupils in the early stages of reading has had a positive impact on pupils' outcomes.

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Inclusion Expected standard

When necessary, leaders commission appropriate alternative provision for pupils. The school maintains effective oversight of pupils' attendance and the quality of education pupils

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Southrop has been through some leadership changes since the previous inspection. Leaders have strived to address areas for improvement set at the previous inspection. They work closely with the local authority and other schools to learn and develop good practice. For example, leaders have prioritised provision for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other challenges. Leaders have liaised with experienced professionals and developed their offer gradually. This includes appropriate training for staff, such as how to identify pupils who may have barriers to learning. This work continues to improve the school, although some aspects, as leaders know, need to be embedded or improved.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors fulfil their statutory duties and have a deep knowledge of the school's context. They understand their role and they work closely with leaders. They are committed to developing their skills. They have sought support from the local authority. They also engage in training to learn how to best challenge and support the school. For example, they understand how the curriculum is designed to build knowledge and skills over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders prioritise the workload and wellbeing of staff. As a result, all staff feel valued. Staff feel empowered to share their views, and leaders actively listen. A well-structured professional development programme, informed by research and tailored to the school's strategic priorities, benefits staff to improve the quality of their work.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They praise the family feel and individual support that their children get. They value that staff get to know their children and genuinely care about them.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils typically achieve well in national tests and examinations, although published outcomes differ significantly year on year due to the small numbers on roll. Pupils can verbally recall knowledge well. They demonstrate a secure understanding of certain topics covered. However, the work pupils produce in their books doesn't meet leaders' high expectations or match published outcomes. Too many pupils have significant gaps in early writing and spelling. Staff do not address these gaps quickly enough. Pupils' progress is also inconsistent across subjects and year groups. Leaders recognise that more work is needed for all pupils to gain the essential knowledge to succeed in the next stage of their education. Leaders have recently launched a new handwriting and spelling scheme to address these learning gaps. This work is in its early stages. Although signs of progress are visible, it is too soon to determine the impact of this work.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

The school aspires to ensure that all pupils attend well. Currently, however, this is not the case. Too many pupils miss large chunks of learning. Leaders have strengthened their oversight of pupils' attendance over the past two years. They offer support to families, such as breakfast sessions on certain days. Pupils' attendance, including for disadvantaged pupils, was improving slowly. However, there was a further drop in attendance at the first part of the last academic year. There is more strategic work for leaders to do, in partnership with external agencies, to ensure that all pupils and groups understand the importance of high attendance and come to school regularly.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils typically behave very well at Southrop. They aspire to the school's values of 'ready, respectful, safe'. Pupils demonstrate a sound understanding of these values. Leaders check for patterns in behaviour to maintain high standards. In the classroom, students demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. They rarely need reminders of the high expectations set by their leaders. During social times, pupils play together and include each other in games and activities. Bullying is extremely rare, but leaders deal with any suspected cases swiftly and effectively.

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

From the early years through to Year 6, pupils at this small, happy school relish coming to school to learn. Leaders, governors and staff ensure pupils feel safe and become confident learners. Staff bring the school vision, 'Giving Wings to Fly', to life through a culture of high ambition and care.

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

Pupils behave with the utmost respect for one another. For instance, in a game of 'four square' at social times, older pupils take the time to explain the game to younger pupils so they can participate. Pupils talk confidently about issues such as discrimination. They know if this ever happened, adults would make it stop. Although pupils enjoy school, too many pupils do not attend as regularly as they should. As a result, those pupils miss out on important learning.

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

In recent years, pupils' achievements in national tests at the end of Year 6 have improved. However, pupils do not routinely securely gain the essential knowledge they need for future learning. This includes handwriting and letter formation. Leaders have taken action to improve these areas, but this work is at an early stage. Southrop is an inclusive school. Disadvantaged pupils, or pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, have positive attitudes towards their learning. They progress well from their starting points.

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

Pupils have a strong sense of belonging. Pupils deepen this and build their self-esteem through initiatives such as when pupils 'receive their wings'. This helps every child celebrate with their peers what makes them unique. Pupils benefit from a wide range of leadership opportunities. Older pupils take pride in being book monitors. They look after younger children in their roles as 'buddies'. Children in the early years enjoy caring for the school's

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Team inspector:

Paul Smith, Ofsted Inspector chickens and the two resident tortoises. This supports them to understand what it means to be responsible.

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Next steps

Leaders and staff should continue to develop and embed their strategy to address pupils' gaps in foundational knowledge and presentation in books, in particular letter formation, spelling and handwriting. Leaders should ensure that staff use assessment across the curriculum to make highly effective choices about what to teach and how to teach it, so that pupils progress at an appropriate rate. Leaders should further their work, including with external agencies, to promote high rates of attendance, including intervening swiftly to support and challenge parents and carers of children whose attendance needs to improve.

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About this inspection

The current chair of the board of governors in this school is Cassandra Patten.

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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 and other senior leaders during the inspection. They also met with governors, a representative of the local authority and a representative of the diocese.

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Gloucester. Its last section 48 inspection was November 2025.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 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 6 years. National average: 26.3%

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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 needs support 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

2022/23 (final) 67% 60% 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

2022/23 (final) 67% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 78% 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

‘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 59% ‘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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