Ferndale Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 June 2026

Pupils are proud to be part of this inclusive school. Leaders support them to live out the school values of ‘belong, believe and achieve'. Each morning, staff greet pupils warmly, helping them to feel ready for their day. The school community celebrates its diversity, and pupils have a deep understanding of the importance of equality. Pupils make appropriate progress from their starting points across the curriculum. Leaders identify barriers quickly and take appropriate steps to address them. Effective teaching supports pupils to understand and talk about their learning. Pupils' outcomes in national examinations are typically in line with the national averages. As a result, pupils are ready for their next steps. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe. They are confident that they will be supported by trusted adults. Bullying is rare and staff address it promptly. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about online safety and how to keep safe in the local area, including near roads and railways. Pupils behave very well. Leaders ensure that pupils understand the high behaviour expectations. They set clear routines and teach pupils to follow these carefully. This means that the school is calm and pupils consistently display positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils are proud to take on leadership roles. For example, they have helped to design the new school toilets. Pupils value the knowledge and skills that they gain from these experiences. Pupils take part in many extra-curricular activities that are targeted to meet their needs. For example, pupils learn to cook healthy meals with produce they have grown themselves. The curriculum is enriched with educational visits to local places that help pupils to link their learning to the wider world. Pupils are well known by leaders and staff, meaning that they benefit from the highly effective pastoral support that they receive. The family hub facility enables this support to extend to their families.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the targets for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are reviewed in a timely way, so that their support is precisely matched and adapted to meet pupils' needs and enable them to build successfully on their learning. This is especially the case for pupils with education, health and care plans.
• Leaders should ensure that early years provision is carefully planned and based on what children know and can do to enable them to build on their prior learning more effectively, so that they are prepared successfully for Year 1.

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