Staff at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School are celebrating their recent SIAMS inspection report, which affirmed so much of what we already know about this wonderful school.
Inspectors found that Fordcombe’s “powerful Christian vision of shining in God’s light” is “permeating all aspects of daily life at this school”. From a curriculum offering pupils “multiple opportunities to discover and develop their talents” to interventions for vulnerable pupils to “ensure these pupils thrive”.
Collective worship at the school is real strength, “deepening the understanding of biblical teachings for pupils and adults”. Inspectors describe how Fordcombe gives pupils opportunities to “shine” through active leadership in worship and with peers. “Worship is a joyful moment within the daily life of the school”, combined with prayer and moments of quiet reflection “which provide opportunities for the spiritual development of pupils and adults”.
The report goes on to highlight the strong relationships between staff and pupils; “the school’s welcoming and loving culture enables pupils and adults to thrive”, with “a culture of respect and kindness towards individuals”. Indeed, the Fordcombe school community see themselves as a family, whose “strong and caring culture” is highly valued by parents and carers.
Richard Tyson, Tenax Director of Workforce Development and Ethos said “This SIAMS inspection report is testimony to the clear vision of Fordcombe headteacher, Chris Blackburn, and the hard work of the team he leads. Inspired by Christian beliefs and values Chris has helped ensure that he leads an inclusive Church of England school community where every child can ‘be a light’ and flourish confident in the knowledge that they are innately worthy and unique. The difference that this vision makes is tangible to all who visit the school; I am delighted that the inspector found this throughout the course of her inspection.”
Chris Blackburn, Headteacher at Fordcombe described how “the whole teaching team are extremely proud of the report. It highlights all the strengths of this vibrant village school that works in the heart of its community.”
All Church of England and Methodist schools are visited every five years by a SIAMS inspector, who evaluates how effectively the school knows and lives its theologically rooted Christian vision. SIAMS inspectors do not give a final ‘grade’ for an inspection in the way that Ofsted do. Instead, they are required to decide on one of the following judgements:
J1 – The inspection findings indicate that the school is living up to its foundation as a Church school, and is enabling pupils and adults to flourish.
J2 – The inspection findings indicate that the school has strengths, but that there are also issues that leaders need to address as a matter of priority.
Fordcombe was found to be in the ‘J1’ category.
You can read Fordcombe’s full report here.