Ferham Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 January 2025

Ferham Primary is a friendly and welcoming school, where pupils feel safe and cared for. They form strong relationships with staff and each other. Pupils understand the importance of respect and kindness. They confidently greet visitors with a smile. The curriculum has undergone substantial changes. There is clarity over what pupils should learn and when. However, these changes have not had sufficient time to have an impact on the historic outcomes. While progress is evident in pupils' knowledge and work, the impact on outcomes is yet to be seen. Pupils from a wide range of cultural backgrounds enjoy learning from each other. They work and play well together. The school also cares for its wider community. Their community café brings people together. Local organisations attend to provide support and advice. This strengthens links between the school and families. The school has a calm learning environment. Pupils behave well both in and outside the classroom. In early years, children enjoy following the rules that help them to self- regulate. Staff support pupils to make the right choices. Across the school, pupils listen attentively in lessons, engage in discussions and follow instructions. This behaviour creates a focused learning atmosphere. However, a number of pupils do not attend school as frequently as they should.

What the school should improve

• Attendance rates are currently below national levels and a high number of pupils are persistently absent. Some pupils are not forming good attendance habits and are missing important opportunities to learn the curriculum. The school should ensure that attendance remains a high priority and that families are given support to reduce absence further.
• The impact of the quality of education is not reflected in the school's published outcomes. The published outcomes do not yet show the full effect of changes to the curriculum. The school should continue to review and refine the curriculum so that pupils catch up quickly and this progress is better reflected in pupils' academic outcomes.
• The school is in the process of developing its assessment procedures in some foundation subjects. In these subjects, assessment information is not used consistently in order to address gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should develop a more consistent approach across all foundation subjects to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding.

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