Balliol Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 May 2026

Balliol Primary School has been through a period of rapid improvement. Pupils value the many positive changes that leaders have made. Improvements to behaviour mean that pupils now learn in calm and purposeful classrooms. All staff have high expectations of pupils’ conduct. On occasion, some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities struggle to meet these standards. When this is the case, pupils get the support they need to thrive. Pupils report that incidents of bullying are rare. However, if bullying does happen, they are confident that their teachers will help them to resolve their differences. Pupils have trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. This helps pupils to feel supported and safe. Since the last inspection, pupils now follow a different curriculum. They enjoy the exciting lessons that their teachers prepare for them. Pupils have regular opportunities to review their previous learning. This helps them to remember more of what they have been taught. This is reflected in the improvements to pupils’ published outcomes by the end of key stage 2. However, some pupils do not yet achieve as highly as they should and this limits the proportion of pupils who are well prepared for secondary school. Pupils are proud that their school welcomes and values everyone. The school motto, ‘proud, unique, positive’ is realised through pupils’ increasingly positive attitudes to their work and to each other. This starts in the early years where children are encouraged to take turns and play together supportively. Most pupils now attend school regularly. They look forward to the range of rewards they get for their efforts at the end of the week. Pupils enjoy the many leadership roles that they have to make a difference to the school. Leaders encourage pupils’ participation in after-school clubs. This includes opportunities to follow their sporting or artistic interests.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that pupils apply their handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar knowledge and skills across all curriculum areas so that the quality of their written work is consistent across all subjects.
• Leaders should ensure that outcomes for all disadvantaged pupils continue to rise to be nearer to national averages.
• Leaders should continue to tackle rates of persistent absence and build on improving trends so that all pupils benefit from the positive curriculum changes that they have made.
• Leaders should continue to broaden and deepen the range of experiences for pupils to extend their knowledge and understanding of the world beyond their local area.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)