Bishop Hooper Church of England Primary School in Ashford Carbonel, Ludlow, Shropshire, was inspected on 7 March 2023. The overall judgement remains good, but evidence suggests that a graded inspection might yield a lower rating. The next inspection will be graded. The school is appreciated for its warm and welcoming atmosphere, fostering a strong sense of community that helps pupils, including those in Nursery, develop confidence and enjoy their time at school. Various activities, such as residential trips and local visits, enhance pupils' interests and enjoyment.
Leaders are focused on improving reading and mathematics, which is positively impacting pupils' achievements in these areas. However, the curriculum in other subjects is not well-structured, making it challenging for pupils to build on their learning effectively. Leaders have not adequately monitored the curriculum's delivery, resulting in persistent weaknesses in the quality of education. Despite this, pupils engage eagerly in their learning.
The school promotes a golden behaviour rule that encourages respect among pupils and staff. Pupils are understanding of their peers who may need extra help managing their behaviour, allowing for a conducive learning environment. Staff address any issues, including bullying, promptly, ensuring that pupils feel safe and can play and learn happily together.
The introduction of a new mathematics curriculum has provided teachers with a clear framework for what pupils should learn and when. This has led to improved progress in mathematics. However, in subjects like history and geography, the key knowledge that pupils should learn is not clearly defined, resulting in a lack of logical progression in teaching. Consequently, some pupils struggle to connect prior knowledge with new learning.
In English and mathematics, teachers effectively identify and address gaps in pupils' learning, using various methods to ensure understanding. However, in other subjects, assessment systems are underdeveloped, hindering teachers' ability to identify and address knowledge gaps. As a result, these gaps persist.
The reading curriculum is well-delivered, starting from Nursery, where children are introduced to songs and rhymes to prepare them for reading. Staff receive regular training to ensure accurate modeling of sounds, and extra support is provided for pupils who struggle. This approach helps pupils develop fluency in reading and fosters a love for books through daily library visits and storytime.
The school has effective systems in place to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Staff work closely with leaders to identify difficulties and provide tailored support, ensuring that these pupils achieve well. Leadership challenges have arisen over the past year, but leaders, governors, and the local authority have collaborated to maintain smooth operations. Staff appreciate the support from leaders, although some weaknesses in curriculum organization and assessment remain unaddressed.
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff trained to identify risks and report concerns. However, leaders need to improve the detail in their record-keeping to track escalating risks effectively. Pupils learn about safety, including road safety and online safety, contributing to their overall well-being.
To improve, leaders must ensure that safeguarding information is detailed and up-to-date, allowing for quick identification of any mounting concerns. Additionally, they need to clearly outline the key knowledge and skills required in foundation subjects to ensure consistent teaching. Assessment systems in these subjects should be refined to help teachers understand pupils' knowledge gaps. Leaders should also monitor curriculum delivery more closely and provide professional development to enhance implementation.
