Schools & FE · Report card

St Matthew's Bloxam CofE Primary School

Inspected 9 Sept 2026 · published 28 Sept 2026 · URN 130883

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Keri Baylis (lead), Andrew Madden, Razia Ali

What we read, and from where

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Achievement verified
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour verified
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Needs attention
Early years verified
Needs attention
Inclusion verified
Needs attention
Leadership and governance verified
Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
9 Sept 2026
Inspectors verified
Andrew Madden, Keri Baylis, Razia Ali
Postcode verified
CV22 7AU
Name on report verified
St Matthew's Bloxam CofE Primary School
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
130883

Page 1 of 16

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
Early yearsNeeds attention
InclusionNeeds attention
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+17Mostly positivemore positive than 9% of reports of this type

Reads more critically than most reports of this type.

Praiseeffectivelypositiveenjoyfeel safeeffectivesafewell designedambitious

Criticismnot alwaysconcernsnot consistentlygapsnot yetnot securefall behindtoo often

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1568w+14
Leadership186w−4
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve165w+74

Strengths

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Concerns

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Too many pupils do not secure the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for the next stage of their education. p.3

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,969; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 49, typical 43
Average sentence: 15 words
Next steps: 8; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 13%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 52%Leadership 6%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 5%About the inspection 34%

Full report text

St Matthew's Bloxam CofE Primary School

Address: Webb Ellis Road, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 7AU Unique reference number (URN): 130883

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

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of pupils' attendance. Their work has ensured that more pupils attend school regularly and the school's rates of attendance are now in line with national averages. The improvement in attendance of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is particularly notable. Attendance for this group is higher than what is seen nationally. Leaders work with families and provide pastoral support when pupils face barriers to attending regularly. This is an effective aspect of their work and is reflective of the positive relationships that leaders have with families.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well and understand the school’s rules. They move around the building calmly and conduct themselves well at different points throughout the day. This helps them to feel safe. Staff model the school’s values. They are positive role models and pupils follow their example. Pupils reflect the values and behaviours that they demonstrate. On the rare occasions when behaviour incidents occur, leaders record and monitor them to help provide support where needed. Suspensions are used appropriately. Pupils are kind and polite. They do not see bullying as an issue at the school. They know that adults will help them if they experience or see something that worries them.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders are refining the personal development curriculum to ensure that it includes all of the key knowledge that pupils need to learn, know and remember. This includes aspects of relationships and health education. In the meantime, the school has established an inclusive curriculum that meets the needs of most pupils. Pupils are developing an understanding of key knowledge. They speak confidently about how to keep themselves safe online and understand why they should not share personal information. They can explain what action they would take if they encountered something that caused concern. Carefully planned sessions linked to the local community help pupils understand how to stay safe near water and railway lines. These opportunities equip pupils with practical knowledge that supports their safety beyond school.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school encourages pupils to treat others with respect and to recognise and celebrate differences. Pupils know that it is never right to treat somebody differently because of any perceived or actual characteristics. They understand how tolerance links to the school's values of 'safe', 'include', 'kind' and 'respectful'. Pupils readily acknowledge when they make mistakes and they understand how their actions affect other people. They are developing an understanding of the values that are important in Great Britain.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development when they come together as a whole school for assemblies. Pastoral support is a particular strength. Staff know pupils well and respond effectively when challenges arise. As a result, pupils feel safe, ready to learn and part of a caring community. They enjoy sharing their individual talents by organising talent shows. This contributes to their sense of belonging.

p.2

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils also contribute positively to the wider community. Visits to a local nursing home allow them to share prayers, songs and companionship, providing meaningful experiences for

p.2

Achievement Needs attention

Too many pupils do not secure the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for the next stage of their education. Results have been below national averages over time, particularly in reading. Some pupils do not develop the reading, writing and mathematics skills they need. Gaps in learning persist because pupils do not regularly revisit and practise learning that they find difficult. New learning sometimes moves on before pupils have fully understood what they have been taught.

p.3

Achievement Needs attention

Disadvantaged pupils achieve less well than disadvantaged pupils nationally in most subjects, and the gap between them and other pupils remains too wide. Teachers do not have a precise enough understanding of what pupils already know and can do. As a result, some pupils fall behind or do not make up lost ground quickly enough, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The school is determined that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Leaders have ensured that pupils study a broad range of subjects. The curriculum is typically well designed meaning that many pupils are able to build knowledge over time. Leaders have also correctly identified the areas of teaching that need to improve. For example, they have made changes to how teachers check pupils' understanding. However, too often these checks are not precise enough. Teachers do not always adapt the curriculum to ensure that all pupils learn well from their starting points. This means that some pupils move on to more complex learning before they are ready.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The ambition that leaders have for pupils with SEND is evident in planned learning opportunities and the school's inclusive approach. Leaders have made changes to how teachers give feedback to pupils. However, teachers are inconsistent in how effectively they make adjustments to their teaching in lessons. Teachers identify mistakes and misconceptions, but opportunities to practise and revisit the aspects of learning that pupils are less secure in are limited. This limits pupils' progress. and gaps in learning are not closing quickly enough.

p.3

Early years Needs attention

Children get off to a positive start in the early years. Nursery staff interact purposefully with children and help them develop their understanding through a well balanced range of activities. Relationships are warm and positive. At times, children choose to access activities independently, while at other times they work directly with adults. Children settle down to tasks quickly and staff know them well. Communication and language is an important focus, and children have opportunities to write and develop letter formation. However, the curriculum does not always sufficiently build on what children already know and can do. Some children spend too long accessing activities without adult interaction. In addition, teachers do not always plan activities carefully enough to develop children's language, problem solving, mathematical thinking, fine motor skills and knowledge of the world.

p.3

Early years Needs attention

The assessment information that is shared with teachers when pupils leave Reception is not used as well as it could be to shape the learning that follows in year 1. It means that, from the outset, pupils are not building on what they can or cannot already do. Tasks are often too challenging which slows the rate of progress that some pupils make.

p.4

Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders place considerable emphasis on providing care and pastoral support for pupils who have barriers to their learning or wellbeing. These pupils are well known by staff. This includes pupils who are in the school’s specialist resourced provision, The Lighthouse. Parents of pupils in The Lighthouse are very positive about the care that these pupils receive.

p.4

Inclusion Needs attention

There are a range of strategies in place to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, these strategies are not always specific enough for pupils' current stage of learning. There are also inconsistencies in how well staff apply these strategies to meet pupils' needs. Furthermore, leaders are not always precise in reviewing the impact of strategies they adopt for pupils with SEND.

p.4

Inclusion Needs attention

The school's work to promote pupils' wellbeing is well organised and effectively led. This helps to ensure that staff respond promptly to any concerns raised by pupils or parents. This means that pupils who need extra support receive appropriate help that promotes their well- being.

p.4

Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders use pupil premium funding effectively to minimise barriers to learning and to ensure that pupils benefit from a full range of broader opportunities. This is having some of impact on pupils' learning. However, the achievement of disadvantaged pupils is lower than that of other pupils, including disadvantaged pupils nationally.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff feel valued and appreciate the support that leaders provide for their wellbeing. They describe a culture where they feel cared for. Their wellbeing is prioritised. Staff work together effectively as a happy, cohesive and collaborative team, united in their commitment to achieving the best outcomes for pupils.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have identified the right priorities for improvement, including raising attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. They have started to take steps to address these. However, these actions have not yet secured the improvements needed in pupils' outcomes.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders provide a broad programme of professional learning, which staff value. However, professional development is not always targeted sharply enough to strengthen staff's expertise in the areas of greatest need. For example, teachers' confidence and consistency in adapting learning to meet the needs of all pupils remain variable.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors are committed to the school and ambitious for its pupils. They value the positive relationships leaders have established with families. While governors receive information about the school's performance, they do not yet use this consistently well to evaluate the impact of leaders' actions or provide sufficient challenge where improvement is needed.

p.5