Clapham and Patching CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 March 2026

Pupils are proud to belong to this small, close-knit school. Staff know pupils well and help them to feel safe and settled. Warm relationships and clear routines mean that pupils quickly gain confidence and feel a secure sense of belonging. Pupils behave kindly towards one another. They appreciate the calm, orderly environment that staff create. Bullying is rare and pupils are confident staff would act quickly if it occurred. Some aspects of pupils' learning do not fully prepare them for their next stage of education. Some pupils have not secured the basic skills and knowledge they need. This means they struggle to recall key concepts or build reliably on what they have learned before. Leaders are taking the right steps to strengthen the consistency of teaching. They are refining the curriculum to ensure that pupils learn the essential knowledge needed across subjects. Pupils who need additional help, including pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are increasingly well supported. This ensures they learn alongside their peers successfully. Pupils enjoy learning and talk positively about their favourite subjects, including geography, mathematics, and design and technology. Many pupils attend clubs, visits and community activities. These help them to develop their interests and broaden their experiences. Older pupils value opportunities to take on leadership roles, such as being prefects or school councillors. They understand the difference these roles make. Pupils also enjoy contributing to the local community, for example by visiting the nearby care home. Leaders' work to improve attendance is making a positive difference. Attendance is improving and pupils feel supported to come to school. Pupils say that staff support them well and help them to feel ready to learn.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should embed a consistent, school-wide approach to handwriting and spelling so pupils develop the fluency and accuracy needed to support their writing across the curriculum.
• Leaders should further embed consistent, inclusive teaching strategies so that all pupils benefit from high-quality classroom practice and develop the secure knowledge and fluency needed to achieve well by the end of key stage 2.
• Leaders should continue to work with the small group of pupils who are persistently absent so that more of them attend regularly and benefit fully from the school's curriculum.

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