The Gerrards Cross CofE School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 February 2025

The school's vision, 'every child flourishing', comes to life when you meet the pupils. The school emphasises both learning and personal growth. It ensures that all pupils become confident and articulate young people with high aspirations for their future. The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement, which are consistently realised. Pupils and teachers share strong, supportive relationships, creating a friendly and respectful environment. From the start of the Reception Year, children follow clear routines. They organise themselves well, and rarely waste time. Pupils are exceptionally well behaved and get along well, making the school calm and orderly. Teachers have high expectations, and pupils work hard to meet them. The school values diversity and nurtures a sense of community. This helps pupils to feel included and respected. Through the 'Ripples Venture', pupils learn how small acts of kindness, such as visiting a local care home or picking up litter, can make a big difference. Pupils value the many opportunities to be involved in school life, such as joining the school council, becoming house captains and participating in 15 annual 'GXperiences' including local visits and trips. They can also shine in the orchestra, choir and school productions, which build confidence and showcase their talents.

What the school should improve

• The school does not routinely provide pupils with high-quality opportunities to practise their foundational writing skills. As a result, some pupils are not able to write with age- appropriate fluency and accuracy. The school should ensure that it implements and embeds a consistent approach to developing writing skills, including spelling, so pupils achieve the best possible outcomes in writing.
• In some foundation subjects, the tasks that teachers design to check pupils' understanding do not focus on the essential subject-specific skills and knowledge the school has identified. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not known. The school should ensure that staff are confident in checking how well pupils have learned key knowledge over time and that gaps are identified and addressed.

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