Ovingham Church of England First School's ‘Good’ Ofsted Rating

In the realm of education, accolades often speak volumes about a school’s commitment to fostering an exceptional learning environment. At the Cheviot Learning Trust, we pride ourselves on the pursuit of excellence, and the recent Ofsted ratings for Ovingham Church of England First School stand as a testament to our dedication.

As of October 2023, Ovingham First School proudly secured a  ‘Good’ rating across crucial aspects such as the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.

Ofsted inspectors noted seeing a profound sense of belonging and safety from Ovingham C of E First School. The report states, “Pupils relish their time at school, resonating deeply with the school’s values of ‘faith, hope, and love’ which are seamlessly integrated into the curriculum.”

Continuing, Ofsted agrees with our sentiment and the importance of obtaining a nurturing environment, something that can be seen at Ovingham C of E First School, “This nurturing environment has propelled students to achieve commendably high standards while embracing responsibilities and understanding the significance of community values.” 

When it comes to curriculum, Ovingham C of E First School saw it as a necessity to review curriculum after the COVID-19 pandemic, something that Ofsted inspectors found pertinent. They stated, “They have implemented changes to ensure that pupils know and remember more. They make sure that pupils study a broad range of subjects. There is no curriculum narrowing.” 

In addition, it was noted that staff plan curriculum clearly and are well organised when it comes to effective lessons and ensuring pupils can have high achievements through a sequenced learning pattern. 

This curriculum planning and learning pattern echoes what many schools across the Cheviot Learning Trust do and find the most effective with our pupils. 

Ofsted inspectors noticed one of Ovingham C of E First School’s priorities was reading, due to their environments and range of books. The report notes, “Libraries, classrooms and the Reading Den promote a broad range of engaging books that pupils enjoy. Most pupils become fluent readers quickly. Staff ensure that, right from Reception, weaker readers are given the help they need to keep up with their peers. This includes supporting pupils who are new to learning English.”

When it comes to any other difficulties or disabilities that pupils might have, Ofsted inspectors noted that resources and teachers are deployed effectively for any individual needing extra support. In addition, inspectors found it optimistic that staff were ‘equally ambitious’ for what SEND or other disadvantaged pupils could learn and how they could succeed in the school. 

As Ovingham Church of England First School is a Christian school, we were very proud to also see that Ofsted inspectors noted how pupils know the school’s Christian values well. 

We are very proud of the hard work of our staff, parents, and pupils to make Ovingham C of E First School a success, and we are happy to see this hard work acknowledged and reflected in this Ofsted report! 

To gain further insights into the parent perspective at Ovingham Church of England First School, visit their website here.