Tardebigge CofE First School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 April 2026

Pupils say that they feel safe and are very happy. There is a tangible family feel. The local community feels involved and welcomed at school activities and events. Pupils' understanding of the values of justice and fairness shine through, and they see taking care of each other as a high priority. The positive ethos of the school impacts on all aspects of school life. Pupils behave very well. Attendance is high and pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged, enjoy coming to school. Pupils know that bullying is rare here. They are confident that if it did happen, then leaders and staff would act quickly. Pupils trust the adults around them, and are confident to speak up about their ideas, opinions and worries. Pupils benefit from the range of clubs and visits on offer. For instance, they take part in sporting activities and gardening club. They understand the role they play to look after the plants and animals around them, and they care about nature. Pupils enjoy their lessons and most pupils engage well in learning activities. Most pupils reach age-appropriate standards by the time they leave the school. However, some teaching does not check pupils' understanding effectively enough to spot their errors or misunderstanding. Some pupils’ essential writing skills such as spelling and handwriting need improvement. As a result, some pupils do not gain all the basic knowledge and skills that they need. Some pupils that need additional help to learn well, such as some of those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, do not receive effective support. This is because, sometimes, the adaptations that teachers make to lessons and learning are not accurate. Leaders are broadly aware of what needs to be done to improve the school, but some of their actions lack precision to bring about improvements in key areas quickly enough.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment and questioning consistently and effectively to address pupils’ errors.
• Leaders should further develop how effectively adaptations during lessons are used by staff to meet the needs of all learners effectively and consistently.
• Leaders should build on their current work to ensure that foundational skills in spelling and handwriting improve for all learners.
• Leaders should more closely monitor and then analyse the performance of different groups of pupils, so they can ensure the school continues to improve.

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