St Sidwell's Church of England Primary School & Nursery

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 January 2026

Pupils thrive at this highly inclusive school. They feel self-assured and enjoy coming to school. Pupils have a lasting sense of belonging and feel safe. They contribute positively to their community, for example through litter-picking campaigns, performing in places of worship or taking part in cultural community events led by local faith leaders. Pupils behave with care. They display kindness and patience towards each other and staff, showing respect to all. Playtimes and lunchtimes are calm and well managed, where pupils play and talk happily together. Bullying is rare and is dealt with quickly if it ever happens. Pupils learn enthusiastically and attend regularly. If any are at risk of lower attendance, leaders use imaginative approaches to remove barriers, such as the use of ‘engagement robots’ in class, to help them to attend better. Children in early years, as well as pupils who join the school in later years, make a strong start, because staff hold a deep understanding of the challenges affecting their learning and wellbeing. Staff swiftly identify barriers and take immediate action to reduce them. In particular, the school's work to overcome language and vocabulary barriers for those pupils who speak English as an additional language is impressive. The school engages with the community right from the outset, establishing trust and a shared understanding so pupils receive the correct help and support they need to succeed. The curriculum is ambitious. It is taught consistently well so that pupils’ knowledge and understanding deepen over time. The school’s expert provision in reading, writing and mathematics ensures that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieve well from their starting points. Pupils achieve well in other subjects, too. Published outcomes in national tests show that, by the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue their strategy of supporting middle leaders so they can play a greater part in securing further improvements across the school.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)