Bridgewater Park Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 January 2026

Pupils at Bridgewater Park thrive in the safe haven that leaders create for them. They enter school happily and are greeted by staff who know them well and are pleased to see them. Due to recent improvements, most pupils now attend school more regularly. Pupils are well cared for and feel safe in their school. They understand how the school teaches them about risks, such as anti-social behaviour and mobile phone use. Pupils belong to a school that highly values positive relationships. They behave well and enjoy receiving praise for making the right choices. Pupils demonstrate kindness and acceptance. They recognise that others may be different from them and understand the importance of being treated fairly. In lessons, pupils try their best and enjoy the daily routines of learning. Pupils say that bullying can happen. They are clear about how to report it and say that trusted adults take swift action. Pupils benefit from a curriculum that sets high expectations. Many rise to the challenge and achieve well. However, for some older pupils, gaps in what they know and remember from previous learning prevent them from achieving well in national curriculum tests. Pupils who need extra help, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, experience success through the tailored support they receive. They make secure progress across the curriculum from their starting points. The school provides opportunities for pupils to develop, beyond their lessons. Pupils understand how to keep mentally and emotionally healthy. They value highly the pastoral support the school provides. Many pupils take on roles such as serving on the school council or acting as anti-bullying ambassadors. They learn to take responsibility and make changes for their school. For example, the school council organises a yearly toy sale to raise much-needed funds for the school. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue their work on raising standards of attainment in mathematics for all pupils, so that these are as high as those in reading and writing.
• Leaders should embed a clear and explicit teaching of handwriting from the early years onwards to ensure that pupils are able to accurately form letters correctly and that their writing is both fluent and legible.
• Leaders should continue to further streamline their curriculum content to identify core learning points and key vocabulary to enable pupils to retain and recall the essential knowledge and skills across all subjects.

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