Forest Hall Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 June 2026

Relationships between pupils and members of staff at Forest Hall Primary School are very positive. As a result of this, pupils feel safe in school. Pupils know and carry through the school routines well, for example going straight to their cloakrooms and hanging their coats and bags independently, before going into class. However, there are too many pupils who arrive late to school and disrupt the start of the school day for others. There are also too many pupils missing out on their learning due to absence from school. Behaviour is calm and pupils are considerate to one another in class. Bullying is not an issue, but some pupils occasionally make hurtful comments to others. Pupils are confident that members of staff will deal with this. Pupils benefit from the cosy areas where they take time out to readjust their behaviour before returning to their learning. Variability in teaching and the delivery of the curriculum means that some pupils do not learn foundational skills well enough. There are high expectations of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. However, teachers' expectations differ, and some pupils are not routinely stretched to extend their learning. Pupils learn about life in modern Britain through assemblies and some curriculum experiences. However, this work is not consistently embedded. As a result, pupils’ understanding of diversity, equality and inclusion is underdeveloped and varies across the school. Pupils enjoy the sporting clubs which are available to them and other enrichment activities. They enjoy being part of the dramatic productions that they appear in at Christmas. Young carers are well supported and they value the time that they have together in their special club. Children in the early years are well supported. They relish ‘woodland Wednesday’ when they learn about the natural environment and develop their confidence, social and motor skills.

What the school should improve

• Governors should ensure that senior school leaders have the capacity in their roles to enact strategic plans and develop secure oversight of school performance and/or their key areas of responsibility.
• Leaders should strengthen the consistency and quality of curriculum delivery across all subjects and year groups. This includes ensuring that all staff have a secure understanding of curriculum expectations and what all pupils can achieve, including the most able.
• Leaders should develop pupils' understanding of, and respect for, each other, fundamental British values, the protected characteristics and cultural diversity in modern Britain.
• Governors should support leaders to implement and embed the school's revised attendance strategy, to ensure that pupil absences reduce and punctuality increases.

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