Primary School in Radstock Urged to Address Curriculum Shortcomings

Bishop Henderson Church of England School, a primary school in Radstock educating around 130 pupils aged 4 to 11, has been instructed to make significant improvements following an Ofsted inspection revealing shortcomings in its curriculum.

The recent Ofsted report highlighted that pupils in key stage 2 exhibit notable gaps in their reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Inspectors described this as “the legacy of a weak curriculum,” which is hindering students’ ability to fully grasp the material and achieve their potential. While pupils in early years and key stage 1 generally secure foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, older pupils continue to struggle with basic competencies such as handwriting, punctuation, and spelling.

Further concerns were raised about resource allocation and staff deployment, which at times fail to adequately support all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The inspection noted that the impact of SEND support is not closely monitored, leaving leaders without a clear understanding of individual pupil progress, and resulting in inconsistent outcomes for these students.

Despite these challenges, inspectors acknowledged that the school has strengthened its curriculum since the previous inspection. Positive aspects of Bishop Henderson were also praised, including its warm and caring ethos, strong relationships, and high-quality pastoral care. The school’s extensive extracurricular offerings, such as archery, gardening, choir, and rock band, were highlighted as enriching opportunities for students.

Additionally, the report commended the school for educating pupils about challenging stereotypes, online safety, and respecting different faiths. The well-regarded house system was noted as a feature contributing to the school community.

Bishop Henderson Church of England School has been approached for comment on the report.