© The National Society (Church of England and Church in Wales) for the Promotion of Education 2018 // Updated August 2019
Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) Report
Bawdsey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Address School Lane, Bawdsey, Woodbridge IP12 3AR
Date of inspection 10 March 2020 Status of school Voluntary controlled primary
Diocese St Edmundsbury and Ipswich URN 124719

Overall
Judgement
How effective is the school’s distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels,in enabling pupils and adults to flourish?
Grade Good
Additional Judgement
The impact of collective worship Grade Good
School context
Bawdsey is a primary school with 48 pupils on roll and 11 in the nursery. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. No pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who are considered to be disadvantaged is above national averages. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is above national averages. Over 60% of the pupils live out of the catchment area.
Most of the teaching staff, the headteacher and all governors have joined the school since the last inspection. The headteacher is also executive headteacher at a diocesan multi-academy trust school.
The school’s Christian vision.
We have God’s world in our hands
Our children know that they have God’s world in their hands, they look beyond their quiet peninsula home to understand and make an impact on the whole, diverse world. We want the children to be resilient, caring and courageous advocates who know they are equal with others. Our key parable is the good Samaritan.
Key findings
• The school’s vision statement and associated values were finalised recently but have been drawn from an established Christian ethos, which enables all to flourish within this inclusive community.
• Provision in religious education (RE) celebrates shared values and significantly contributes to an engaging and enriched curriculum, enabling all to flourish.
• Collective worship is engaging and strongly influenced by the school’s vision and values. However, monitoring of worship does not have sufficient focus to aid its further development.
• The school values its strong relationship with the local church and recognises the importance of its place within the wider community.
• Pupils have a good understanding of what it means to be a courageous advocate and support many good causes both in this country and beyond. However, a number of these have been initiated by staff. Pupils have recently chosen charities but have not yet considered how they could actively support them.
Areas for development
• Embed the school’s Christian vision and increase its impact by ensuring it shapes school development, key policies and the curriculum.
• Ensure that monitoring and evaluation of collective worship informs its continued development.
• Establish a mutually beneficial global partnership to develop pupils’ awareness of injustice and inequality.

© The National Society (Church of England and Church in Wales) for the Promotion of Education 2019// Updated October 2019
How effective is the school’s distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to flourish?
Inspection findings
The recent development of the Christian vision has been strongly led by the headteacher and involved consultation with the diocese, governors and all members of the school community before its completion.
Leaders explain that it is important not to be insular when living in a tiny community and that their vision ensures they are all outward looking. The vision is prominent around the school. As a result, it is entirely understood that they have God’s world in their hands. Pupils recognise that to be good Samaritans they must care for everyone regardless of their differences. Leaders have ensured that news of how the school is demonstrating its Christian vision is shared with parents and carers. Consequently, stakeholders have a good understanding of what it means to be a Church school. A large proportion of pupils are from out of catchment which can be attributed to the relationship that the school has with its wider community. Parents feel well supported and want their children to learn in a school with a Christian ethos. Although the school’s vision in its current form is new, the Christian ethos is long established and best exemplified by its care for all in the community. The school provides breakfast and afterschool care, subsidises nursery costs, welcomes baby and toddler parent groups and
provides a monthly lunch club for older members of the community. The school’s Christian vision is beginning to influence policies but has not yet shaped all key policies. Governors are committed to the sustainability of this small school and have supported the headteacher to work at a school within the local diocesan multi-academy trust for part of each week as their executive headteacher. This has benefited both schools financially and developed a good working partnership. For example, professional development and resources have been shared by the two schools and savings have led to enrichment activities for pupils. Access to the wider curriculum could be limited for a small school, however staff also work successfully with two nearby schools, which has enabled
pupils to compete in sports activities as well as learn together. Social, moral, spiritual and cultural days are planned with the Peninsula Partnership, supporting pupils and enriching their learning.
The school’s values are threaded into the broad and balanced curriculum which includes experiences and trips to further ensure the rounded development of each child. Learning includes the use of ‘big questions’ which is fuelling pupils’ curiosity and increasing their confidence. The headteacher ensures that all pupils have learning opportunities through beach school. They use their local environment, including the beach, to develop their appreciation and care for God’s world. The higher than average proportion of vulnerable and SEND pupils thrive at this small school because no challenge is seen as a barrier to learning or progress. With good SEND provision and focussing upon the needs of the individual child, staff ensure that by the end of each key stage, progress for
all pupils is in line with or above national averages, enabling them to flourish academically.
The pupils at Bawdsey have learned about current and historical figures who demonstrate what a courageous advocate can achieve. Pupils are clear in their wish to help others and have been involved with many charities which have been largely initiated by staff. They were inspired by staff to collect clothes to send to Uganda and for the homeless in Ipswich. The school is very proud of how their pupils responded to the theft of money they had raised last term. Pupils put their Christian values into action by raising more than the original amount through their own efforts and the goodwill of the community. Pupils are not often empowered to champion their own causes or engage in a sustained global partnership to help them understand the challenges in the wider world.
Pupils know that they are all different but also equal because this is a message reinforced by the vision every day in school. They understand that they each have their part to play in ensuring everyone will flourish. Relationships at Bawdsey are good and pupils understand the importance of forgiveness. At breaktimes, there is a family feel to play, as older pupils include younger pupils in their games. The ‘buddy system’, where everyone has a ‘buddy’
to look out for them, is a clear indication that the well-being of all pupils is a priority at this school. All staff feel well supported by one another. Good mental health is a focus and, because of this, the school is beginning to work towards the Sandwell well-being charter mark.
Leaders have addressed the recommendations from the previous inspection with one particular impact seen in the developed reflection areas for prayer within school. Pupils’ prayers are used in collective worship giving them a greater sense of ownership. Pupils have a clear understanding of Anglican traditions and enjoy leading worship. Their involvement increases self-confidence and enables them to flourish. There is a good relationship with the church which is strengthened by regularly joining together for celebrations of Christian festivals and most recently an act of commemoration. Pupils benefit from a varied programme for worship, led by staff, clergy and visitors, which contributes well to their spiritual development. The Christian vision underpins all worship,
for example a good Samaritan is celebrated each week when a pupil receives a special certificate if they have demonstrated the Christian values. Parents speak of how their children show more kindness and thoughtfulness at home as a direct result of striving to be a ‘good Samaritan’. Pupils are involved in monitoring worship and evaluating how it makes them feel, however neither their reflections nor those of governors are currently used to develop future plans.
Statutory obligations for RE and collective worship are met and RE teaching is in line with the Church of England Statement of Entitlement. The school uses the Emmanuel Project teaching resource and assessment tool, having benefited from diocesan training in both. Well trained staff ensures the resource provides appropriate progression in pupils’ learning. The school is meeting the needs of all pupils who are developing age appropriate skills in RE. RE days, focussing on religious festivals and cultural celebrations, contribute to pupils’ understanding of difference and diversity. RE is important to pupils as they know it helps them to understand and respect the differences in world faiths.
Executive Headteacher Katherine Butler
Inspector’s name and number Christina Galletly