Siddington Church of England Primary School

Siddington Church of England Primary School

Address: The Coach Road, Siddington, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6HL Unique reference number (URN): 145607

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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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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The published attendance rates for the school show that attendance for the school is below the national average. However, leaders have carefully analysed attendance information for groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They also carefully analyse the attendance of cohorts of pupils. Through this work, leaders have identified a very small proportion of pupils whose attendance causes concern. Leaders support these families effectively. They use regular communication and offer spaces in breakfast and after-school clubs. They also set out clear expectations. This is starting to have a positive impact on improving their attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

New leaders have introduced a clear approach to behaviour that pupils and staff understand and follow. Staff and pupils have quickly adopted the 3 new rules of being ‘responsible, kind, and safe’. As a result, pupils behave well and maintain a positive attitude towards their learning. They understand and follow the school’s well-established routines. Generally, they move around the school sensibly, speak politely and play well together. There have been no recent reports of bullying, and pupils are confident that adults would quickly address any concerns if they had any. Pupils who need extra help to manage their emotions have clear strategies, such as individual plans.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders have created a curriculum that builds on what pupils already know. It is ambitious and matches the school’s context and pupils’ interests. Leaders make learning meaningful and fun by including local history in the curriculum. Recently, they have focused on the key knowledge pupils need for handwriting, spelling and mathematics. They understand which pupils have gaps. Their actions to close these gaps are generally effective.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, pupils’ needs are being met in the classroom. Teachers use suitable resources and scaffolding in their lessons. This helps pupils stay on track in their learning. It allows all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to access the curriculum in line with their peers. Teachers have begun to use ongoing checks on pupils’ learning. They make sure new learning develops on previously learned knowledge. However, some modelling in lessons lacks precision. As a result, pupils can repeat mistakes and, at times, do not improve their letter formation and handwriting.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have very recently set out assessment points during the year. This is now supporting teachers to monitor how well pupils remember key knowledge. Teachers are starting to use these new assessment points to identify gaps in pupil's learning more effectively.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised the early years. They have set out an ambitious curriculum. It gives children a wide range of opportunities to develop across all the key areas of learning. The provision is stimulating and structured. Children benefit from an organised environment that helps them to build the foundations for knowledge and learning, leading to success. For example, children in the early years develop their fine motor skills through a wide range of carefully planned activities. This helps them develop the control they need for writing. Children develop their gross motor skills through practical activities that encourage lifting, carrying and pouring.

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Early years Expected standard

Early reading and phonics teaching are effective. This supports children to recognise the sounds that letters make and builds their vocabulary. In the early years, children get off to a positive start in learning early writing skills, including correct pencil grip and letter formation. Leaders have recently aligned the handwriting approach more closely with the phonics programme to build on this strong foundation as pupils move through the school.

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Early years Expected standard

When children reach the end of the Reception Year, they have developed the necessary skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Most children have the knowledge and skills to be ready for Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders provide staff with effective systems that help them to quickly and accurately identify pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils, and those who are currently or previously known to social care receive appropriate support. Staff implement support early to assist pupils in accessing learning. As a result, pupils are ready to learn.

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Inclusion Expected standard

In lessons, teachers provide pupils with effective support that helps them access learning independently. Staff undergo professional development that enables them to adapt learning appropriately. For example, they effectively use scaffold prompts that help pupils keep up with current learning. Teachers regularly review and update the effectiveness of pupils’ individual plans. They set clear, achievable targets for pupils that they understand. Parents actively participate throughout this process. This involvement helps ensure that support remains relevant and effective.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders know vulnerable pupils and families well. They provide effective pastoral support through regular monitoring, strong relationships with families and collaborative work with external agencies. They focus on safeguarding and wellbeing. Leaders provide timely support for pupils and quickly identify and address barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding to provide targeted interventions, pastoral support and encourage family engagement. They tailor this support effectively to meet individual pupils’ needs. When necessary, leaders select alternative provision carefully so that it provides extra help for those who may need it.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including governors, have navigated a period of considerable change at Siddington. New leaders have prioritised strengthening the culture of behaviour at the school. Pupils and parents comment positively on these improvements. For example, pupils and parents say that behaviour has improved.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know the school's strengths and areas for development. They have set out the correct priorities for continued improvement. As a result, staff are now focusing on the development of pupils’ foundational knowledge in lessons across the school. There is also a clear plan to support pupils with their multiplication knowledge.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders pay close attention to staff wellbeing and workload. They consider how changes affect workload as they implement them. Staff value this approach, and they are supportive of leaders’ actions. Staff also appreciate the wide range of training available to them. This includes trust networks, inclusion training and safeguarding updates.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors have an in-depth understanding of the community it serves. Trustees and governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively, including oversight of safeguarding arrangements. However, at times, governors have not always challenged school leaders strategically. Governors, trust and school leaders share a united approach for the future. This work is already having a positive impact on pupils, and the community is recognising it. Parental support for leaders is overwhelmingly positive. Comments such as: ‘my children are extremely happy and flourishing’ are common.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal development programme is effective. Leaders routinely check its impact and make appropriate adaptations when needed. They ensure that disadvantaged pupils, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, access everything the school offers. Older pupils understand that equity means having the support they need to succeed in their learning, recognising this can differ between pupils. Leaders enable children to access as many opportunities as possible. Effective and sensitive pastoral support enables pupils to overcome social and emotional barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal, social and health education curriculum is well structured and considered. Leaders place an emphasis on pupils developing healthy lifestyles. Staff teach pupils about age-appropriate relationships and health education effectively. Leaders have thought carefully about how to deliver this effectively within the mixed year groups. Older pupils have a clear understanding of what constitutes a healthy relationship. Pupils learn to stay safe online and can explain the risks and benefits of the internet. They have regular debates that help them express their views and consider others' opinions. Older pupils show maturity. They discuss how they would stand up for others and challenge discrimination if needed.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about and celebrate different cultures within their community and across the world. They show respect for the wide range of backgrounds and faiths. Pupils understanding of fundamental British values is starting to develop, because of sequenced teaching and targeted assemblies set out by leaders.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders plan rich opportunities for pupils across the school. For example, pupils vote for one another to be school councillors. Pupils love this responsibility. Pupils in the eco-club act maturely by choosing to litter pick during their breaktime. After-school and lunchtime

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Needs attention

clubs are well attended. Pupils who take part in the gardening club have knowledge about specific plants that are within the school grounds.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils’ progress and achievement across the school are inconsistent. It varies through subjects and year groups. By the end of Year 6, many pupils achieve the standards expected for their age. Most pupils achieve well in the phonics screening check. However, some pupils are not securing a firm grasp of letter formation, handwriting and spelling. Pupils have not achieved well in the multiplication test at the end of Year 4, for several years. As a result, many pupils have gaps in their understanding of numbers.

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Achievement Needs attention

The quality of current work in pupils’ books, including pupils who are disadvantaged, is also variable across the school. Many books show repeated spelling errors and handwriting is not improving quickly enough. Pupils' gaps in earlier learning have not been identified or addressed with enough urgency. As a result, errors persist in some pupils' work.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have identified this as a priority for improvement and have begun to take appropriate action. However, it is too soon to determine the impact of this work.

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

Pupils have a growing pride in their school. They arrive at school positively and are keen to start the day. Older pupils talk animatedly about how the behaviour and culture of the school has changed for the better. They recognise that their experience of school has improved significantly in the last year. Pupils say they feel a strong sense of belonging within the school community.

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

Pupils feel safe in school. They show mutual respect for their peers and staff. A collaborative atmosphere permeates the school, strengthened by older children, who see themselves as role models for behaviour. Year 6 buddies are proud to support Reception children. They help them settle quickly into school life. Most pupils attend well because they want to come to school and learn. Pupils typically behave well and incidents of any type of discrimination are rare.

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

Pupils enjoy the curriculum and are motivated to learn. Some pupils still have gaps in their foundational knowledge. As a result, they have not always achieved as well as they could, especially in mathematics. However, pupils now get off to a positive start in the early years and this continues through the school. Pupils who have attended the school from Year 1 to Year 6 achieve in line with national averages by the end of key stage 2.

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

Pupils benefit from many additional opportunities throughout the year. They love visiting their local church and learning about its partnership with the school. Pupils also talk positively about careers week. They speak clearly about visiting a local catering company to understand food preparation. Younger children discuss their trip to a local postal service and learning about potential jobs they may want to pursue. Trips linked to learning are common. For example, pupils visit a local museum to support them in recalling key facts about the Romans.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to strengthen teachers' use of assessment to understand pupils' starting points and ongoing progress so that they can adapt teaching, where necessary, identify and address gaps and support pupils to achieve as highly as possible, especially in the multiplication test Leaders should improve pupils' foundational skills, including handwriting, spelling and letter formation, by ensuring consistent practice and precise modelling across year groups so that pupils develop greater fluency and accuracy over time.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Corinium Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Claire Graham, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mark Lees.

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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

The inspection took place 9 and 10 September 2026.

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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 school leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with representatives from the trust, those responsible for governance and a representative of the Diocese of Gloucestershire.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is registered as having a Church of England religious character and is part of the Diocese of Gloucestershire. The last section 48 inspection was in June 2019.

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About this inspection

There is a breakfast and after-school club.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 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 9 September 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.

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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

2024/25 (final) 64% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 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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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

2022/23 (final) 69% 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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national average

2022/23 (final) 50% 44% Close to average

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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) 50% 59% Close to average

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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

2023/24 (3 term) 5.0% 5.5% 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 (3 term) 12.3% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 16.5% 14.6% 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

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