Ofsted regularly inspects schools and the aftermath of an inspection is a report which gets published online. The report shows how the inspectors rated the school on a number of key judgements.
All schools are rated on four judgements: the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and the leadership and management. Where applicable, a school will also be judged on the early years provision and the sixth form provision. Each judgement is given one of four ratings: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’.
Prior to September 2024, schools subject to graded inspections were given a one-word or two-word judgement which were generated by the judgements (noting that the quality of education was a limiting factor). But this process was scrapped and instead no judgement is given, although it can be inferred, and starting in the next academic year, schools will be given a report card.
Inspections are broken down into several different types, the most common being graded or ungraded inspections, which looks at safeguarding and the general standard of provision. There can also be a monitored inspection, which judges progress rather than the key judgements where a letter is published rather than a report, and an urgent inspection, which is triggered by a “specific concern in a specific school”.
In February, five schools in Bristol were given a new Ofsted report. These schools fall under the Bristol Local Authority. Day care providers have been excluded.
Willow Park CofE Primary School – Remains in special measures
Willow Park CofE Primary School, on Park Lane near the city centre, remained in special measures following a monitoring visit. In a visit on January 7 and 8, the primary school was found to have made some progress.
The school was placed in special measures after being rated as ‘Inadequate’ in three key judgements in March 2024. Pupils’ achievements are now celebrated regularly and a sense of community has been established.
However, published outcomes for key stage two in 2024 were weak and significant gaps in knowledge remain. Ofsted said that “inconsistencies in implementation [of the curriculum]” remain and more work is needed.
St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School – Maintains ‘Good’ standards
St Bernadette Catholic School, on Fossedale Avenue in Whitchurch, remains at a ‘Good’ standard following an ungraded inspection on January 7 and 8. The secondary school has 755 pupils on its school roll and has been at a ‘Good’ standard since 2014.
Pupils feel “welcome and included” at the school and feel safe. The behaviour of pupils was praised by inspectors who said that pupils strive to meet the high expectations the school has of them.
The curriculum is “broad and ambitious” and checks in pupils’ knowledge lead to adjustments being made to the curriculum as needed to enable pupils to learn. However, too many pupils do not attend school often enough.
St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School – Maintains ‘Good’ standards
St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School, on Station Road in Shirehampton, has maintained ‘Good’ standards identified back in 2018. The ungraded inspection, on January 14 and 15, was the school’s first inspection since converting into an academy in 2022.
The school earned praise for understanding the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Their needs are identified early and pupils get “effective and timely support” throughout the school.
The leadership team at the school have an “accurate understanding of the school”, its strengths and next steps needed to take. In some subjects, on some occasions, the work that pupils complete does not support them to extend their learning.
Fair Furlong Primary School – ‘Good’ across the board
Fair Furlong Primary School, on Vowell Close in Withywood, was praised by Ofsted as it was rated as ‘Good’ in every key judgement. The primary school has 455 pupils on its school roll and the inspection, on January 14 and 15, was the school’s first inspection in over a decade.
The school has implemented recent improvements to the curriculum design, after published outcomes in some subjects were below the national average in 2024. The current standard of education is “not reflected in the school’s published outcomes in 2024”.
Inspectors called the school “aspirational” for all pupils and “steadfast” in the way it serves families in the community. However, in some wider curriculum subjects, the checks the school makes on knowledge are not as effective as can be.
Luckwell Primary School – ‘Good’ across the board after previously ‘Requires Improvement’
Luckwell Primary School, on Luckwell Road in Bedminster, was rated as ‘Good’ across the board following an inspection on January 14 and 15. The school, with 77 pupils on its school roll, was previously rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ in 2022.
The pupils at the school were praised by Ofsted for being “enthusiastic, curious learners” who achieve well. Pupils with SEND are able to achieve well alongside their peers.
Staff at the school are well trained and are able to teach new knowledge using “clear and precise explanations”. However, staff do not use information from checks on learning well enough to address gaps in pupils’ knowledge in a few subjects.