Elmley Castle CofE First School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 April 2026

Children who join the early years, as well as those who arrive mid-year, are welcomed warmly and quickly become part of the school community. Staff and pupils are proud of their nurturing small school, which sits at the heart of its village and values every child. Each day begins calmly and purposefully. Pupils attend regularly and arrive promptly. They settle straight into activities and are greeted by adults who know them well. Parents and carers speak positively about the support they receive and appreciate the regular communication from leaders. Pupils enjoy their learning, particularly the opportunities offered through forest school. Here, their imagination and sense of adventure thrive. For example, creating 'chocolate sauce soup' in the mud kitchen or climbing into small dens. In reading and mathematics, pupils build their knowledge securely from the early years onwards, and many achieve well. Writing, however, is less well developed. Some pupils struggle to write accurate sentences independently because they have not secured the skills needed. In some subjects, teachers do not always address misconceptions or gaps in pupils' understanding. Occasionally, work is not clearly explained or matched closely to what pupils already know. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This limits the progress some pupils make and affects how well prepared they are for the next stage of their education. Across the school, behaviour is positive. The climate for learning is calm and focused. Pupils show great attitudes to learning. They feel safe because adults are vigilant, approachable and trusted. Bullying and discrimination are not tolerated, and any issues are dealt with swiftly. Pupils learn about equality, respect and responsibility through a well-designed personal development programme. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Leadership roles, trips, visitors and community events, including Maypole dancing, enrich their experience and help them grow into confident, considerate young people.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that leadership of special educational needs and/or disabilities, the systems in place and support provided are effective in having a positive impact on pupils' learning and development.
• Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently across the school so that pupils achieve as well as they should across all subjects.
• Leaders should ensure that misconceptions and errors in pupils' work are addressed swiftly and that regular checks are made to identify gaps in learning and inform future planning.
• Leaders should support staff to raise pupils' achievement in writing by strengthening the teaching of grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting so that it is delivered consistently across all year groups.

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