Defford and Besford CofE Primary School
Hill View, Defford, Worcester, WR8 9BHOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Defford and Besford CofE Primary School is a primary school in Worcester for ages 5 to 11. It is one of the 273 schools in Worcestershire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 25 April 2023, report published 18 June 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 25 April 2023
This is a school that feels like a family. Leaders, staff and parents work closely together for the benefit of pupils. Pupils are incredibly proud of their school. They say that school is lots of fun. A place where they learn, play and grow together. In lessons, pupils listen well, focus on their learning and work hard. Pupils enjoy being with their friends and have great fun playing together. They benefit from a spacious and well-resourced outdoor area, which supports learning and provides a beautiful backdrop for breaktimes. Leaders want pupils to achieve the best possible educational outcomes. As a result, they have made positive changes to the curriculum, some of which are still quite new. These are having a positive impact on pupils' learning. In the Reception class and pre-school, leaders have created an impressive provision that provides children with an exceptional start to their learning journey. Pupils trust staff to look after them, which they say makes them feel 'safe and calm'. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about all aspects of school life. In particular, they value the fact that staff go the extra mile to support their children. Parents view the school as 'a little gem'.
What the school should improve
- In subjects that are in the early stages of development, subject leaders have had limited opportunities to make checks on how well the curriculum is being delivered. This includes making sure that pupils learn the right things, at the right time. In these instances, subject leaders are not clear about how well pupils are learning the curriculum, or which areas may require further development. Senior leaders should provide these subject leaders with the opportunity and support so that they can make checks on how well the curriculum is being implemented.
- Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is sufficiently focused on developing pupils' knowledge and understanding of different faiths and cultures. Consequently, pupils' knowledge of these is limited and at times confused. Leaders need to make sure that the curriculum successfully develops pupils' knowledge of faiths and cultures that are different to their own.
Pupil numbers and mix
54 pupils on roll, with places for 84
Schools near Defford and Besford CofE Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eckington CofE First School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Abbey Park Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Holy Redeemer Catholic Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 76% met the expected standard |
| Orchard Primary School | 3 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 50% met the expected standard |
| St Barnabas CofE Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 5 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Liam Hanson
- Phone
- 01386750321
- Address
- Hill View, Defford, Worcester, WR8 9BH
- Local authority
- Worcestershire
- URN
- 116802
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.