St Thomas Cantilupe is a one form entry Church of England primary school located in Hereford city centre. It serves a very diverse community. Over 60% of pupils speak English as an Additional Language. The school has above national levels of SEND and Pupil Premium.

 

The school has been through significant change. In December 2018 it was placed in special measures by Ofsted. Areas for improvement included the school environment, outcomes, SEND provision, attendance, numbers on roll and the curriculum. The school had low numbers of children on roll. Change was needed.

 

A new SENDCo and Headteacher were appointed, as well as new staff in other key roles, which helped to strengthen the leadership and middle leadership team. Improvement was focused around the relational approach and the inclusion of all pupils in their classrooms. The ‘When The Adults Change’ behavioural approach was introduced across the school, with books purchased for all staff to read and digest. An initial behaviour strategy was put in place, with a focus on positive recognition and a consistent approach to pupils, from all adults. Systems of reward and positivity were introduced into every classroom, with positive recognition boards, positivity notes, positive wrist bands and gold Headteacher stickers used. Summary sheets were provided for all staff, with micro scripts and specific guidance on how to support pupils who had behavioural needs.

 

School staff welcomed families on the gates every morning, available to speak with parents and welcome pupils into school. A focus on information sharing with parents, asking for their views and acting on these led to change. Parent and pupil surveys were introduced and are completed annually. More recently, a Family Learning Mentor has been employed to work with families and pupils. She has completed the When The Adults Change ‘How to Coach Parents in Behaviour’ course and will be supporting parents using the resources with this approach at home.

 

The learning environment throughout the school has been radically improved with a clear purpose in mind, such as furniture purchased in light colours to provide a low demand environment that does not overwhelm pupils. High quality texts, resources and a culture of pride permeates the school. This means that each learning space is calm and purposeful. As a result, pupils have consistency and smooth transitions. Classroom displays and colours are now purposeful, used by children to support learning and low demand. Small quiet reading and reflection areas have been introduced for pupils to access if they feel overwhelmed or emotionally dysregulated. Staff training focused on the relational approach. Staff saw the results of this approach and the impact on children in terms of emotional regulation.

 

In 2021 the school moved from special measures straight to good. In 2025 the school is flourishing. You might even say that it has had a full transformation, a transformation with relational practice at the forefront. The school is full, with a waiting list for places. Attendance is above national average, persistent absence is below national average and outcomes in all statutory assessments are above national average. There is regularly positive feedback from visitors to the school.

 

We are delighted that St Thomas Cantilupe CE Primary is a Partner School of ours and look forward to continuing to work with them.