Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery

About Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery

Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery was rated Good in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, a significant step up from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The school's 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results tell a more nuanced story. While the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 36%, this is notably below the Shropshire local authority average of 59%. However, individual subject results paint a brighter picture: 64% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, with 45% reaching the higher standard, and the average reading score was 104. In maths, 45% met the expected standard and 9% achieved the higher standard, with an average score of 100. Writing saw 55% of pupils meeting expectations, though no one reached the higher standard. The school's ranking of 81st out of 88 primary schools in Shropshire places it in the bottom half of the local authority, and nationally it sits in the 94th percentile.

Ofsted inspectors in March 2025 awarded Good marks across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The inspection noted that some aspects were not as strong, but the overall effectiveness has clearly improved since the 2017 inspection when the school was rated Requires Improvement. Parent feedback from the Parent View survey covering September 2024 to September 2025 was overwhelmingly positive: 92% of respondents would recommend the school, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there. Strong majorities also felt their child is safe (95%) and does well (92%). The school's capacity is 84 pupils, but it currently has 109 on roll, making it oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 intake, there were 13 applications for 11 places, with all 11 first-preference applicants receiving offers.

The school offers a nursery provision called Busy Bees for children aged 2 and up, and caters for pupils through to age 11. Facilities include a library, art studios, a sensory room, an outdoor playground, an ICT suite and a chapel. Sports on offer are cricket, athletics, football and rounders, while clubs include drama, book club, film club, gardening and coding. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech language and communication needs. As a Church of England voluntary controlled school, it has a religious character. With a very low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 2.3%, Chirbury serves a relatively affluent catchment. This is a small, community-focused primary that has improved its Ofsted rating and where parents report high satisfaction, though academic outcomes at KS2 are below the local average.

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