Bidston Village CE Primary School were inspected by OFSTED on Tuesday 12th May to Wednesday 13th May 2026.

New Grading Structure;

Ofsted now use a 5-point scale to grade different areas of a school’s work. They no longer provide an overall effectiveness grade for any school inspected under the framework.

Safeguarding is evaluated on a ‘met’/‘not met’ scale for schools.

The evaluation scale for each evaluation area, other than safeguarding, is:

Urgent Improvement

Needs Attention

Expected Standard

Strong Standard

Exceptional

It is important to understand that the new grades cannot be compared to the old ones. This is a new approach.

Secure Fit Model

Inspections now use a “secure fit” approach. This means that a school must fully meet all the criteria for a grade before it can be awarded. Previously, inspectors could apply a “best fit” judgement, where strengths in some areas could offset weaknesses in others and a school could still receive a good outcome. The new model ensures that judgements are consistent and based on clear evidence across all areas.

Ofsted state that the changes aim to provide parents, carers, and schools with greater transparency and confidence in inspection outcomes. They also reinforce the importance of continuous improvement and high standards in every aspect of school life.

Our Results

We are very pleased to share that we demonstrated that we meet the safeguarding grade descriptors and together we achieved the Expected Standard in four of the seven evaluation areas:

 Inclusion

 EYFS

 Personal Development and Wellbeing

 Leadership and Governance

This confirms that the vast majority of our schools work is meeting the high benchmark required by the national framework. As you read the report card you will see that our recent School Improvement journey has been recognised, despite us receiving ‘needs Attention’ judgements for the following areas:

 Curriculum and Teaching

 Attendance and Behaviour

 Achievement

We are fully committed to elevating our provision in these areas by building upon the strengths already identified by the inspectors. A robust action plan is underway.

Moving Forward Together

Achieving the Expected Standard in four core areas is a significant milestone and a proud moment for our school.

It confirms we are on the right track and gives us the momentum to tackle our remaining targets with confidence. We are fully committed to working closely with our families to ensure that every element of Bidston Village CE Primary School meets the high benchmark our community expects and deserves.

You can view the full report card via the link below. If you would like a hard copy, please do let us know.

What do the inspections say about Bidston Village CE Primary School?

SIAMS Church Inspection

Please see buttons below for information on Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) Church Inspection, including our most recent inspection (January 2024).

Our SIAMs inspection judged that we are living up to our foundation as a church school.

The summary from the last SIAMs report states that at Bidston Village CE Primary School, we are:

·         Reflecting the school’s vision, leaders demonstrate a commitment to ensuring pupils’ God-given talents are acknowledged, nurtured and celebrated.

·         Through a wide range of creative and innovative strategies and approaches the curriculum is appropriate and accessible by all.

·         There is a proactive culture towards supporting pupils and their families, based on trusting relationships.

·         Mutually beneficial relationships with the local church demonstrate a common goal of wanting the best for every pupil. The love of God is provided in a variety of practical ways to pupils and their families.

·         Opportunities for collective worship are both inspiring and inclusive, nurturing collective and individual spiritual development.