Parents love 'amazing' Devon school - and so does Ofsted

A Devon school that is “nothing but amazing” has wowed Ofsted with a ‘good’ grading while its early years provision was judged to be ‘outstanding’. Beer Church of England Primary School, which has 98 pupils aged five to eleven, was inspected in November.

The report states: “Pupils enjoy learning a range of subjects. Pupils are curious about the world around them. They have many opportunities to talk about their ideas. The school provides a safe, harmonious environment for pupils to express their views.

“Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to be respectful and kind. The school prepares pupils well to be valued citizens of modern Britain. Children in the Reception class learn the routines of school very well. They share, take turns and forge strong relationships. Pupils are motivated to learn the exciting curriculum that the school has created. As a result, pupils behave well, both in class and around the school. Pupils state that bullying is rare, but that staff resolve it if it occurs.

“Pupils learn about the importance of fundamental British values, such as democracy and freedom of speech. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 created posters about topical issues, such as climate change.

“Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive in the school because of well-tailored approaches that support them to learn successfully.

“Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent’s view echoed that of many others when they said, ‘The school and its staff have been nothing but amazing.’”

Beer pupils celebrate an overall good inspection report

The report said the school has worked hard to revise its curriculum since a previous inspection rated it as ‘requires improvement’ and stated: “Staff, parents and pupils share the school’s vision for pupils to flourish academically, socially and emotionally.”

The report continued: “Pupils attend school regularly. They enrich their knowledge of the curriculum through trips to places, such as Charmouth, to learn about fossils. The school is at the heart of the village and pupils develop their understanding of the area well. For instance, they visit the church and the beach regularly. Pupils are overwhelmingly positive about the range of clubs they can join, such as karate and football.

“Governors and the trust know the school well and have supported the school’s improvement journey. Governors gather a breadth of information about the school to pose challenging questions of school leaders. Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school and feel that leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being.”

Rebecca Porter, headteacher, said: “We are delighted to be a good school with outstanding early years provision. This outcome is a testament to the hard work of our staff and pupils.

“We are proud of the collaboration between our school, community and wider stakeholders and this achievement reflects the commitment of all involved. We thank our children, staff, governors and the supportive community in which we belong as a member of St Christopher Multi Academy Trust.”