Fulwood and Cadley Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 March 2026

Although children in the early years make a positive start to their primary education, older pupils are not adequately prepared for their next steps. They do not achieve well. This is because the curriculum, and the way in which it is taught, does not enable pupils to build their reading, writing and mathematics knowledge sufficiently well as they progress through the school. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not receive the support that they need to succeed. Some of these pupils do not receive full access to the curriculum. Most pupils try their best during lessons, even when they find learning difficult. Many pupils behave as they should in classrooms and around the school. However, some pupils cause disruption to the learning of others. Unkind behaviour, including incidents of bullying, means that some pupils do not enjoy school or feel safe. At times, leaders deal with incidents of bullying in a suitable way. However, this is not consistently the case. Leaders have not ensured that staff know how to manage pupils’ behaviour effectively. Furthermore, the school’s systems to ensure that pupils are safeguarded are not effective. Most pupils attend school regularly. Even so, some disadvantaged pupils miss large chunks of their learning due to absence. Pupils learn about the differences between people in their school community. They gain an understanding of diversity within British society. However, this does not stop some pupils from calling each other names on a regular basis. This means pupils are not prepared well enough for life in modern Britain. Most pupils appreciate spending time with their friends at breaktimes. They enjoy helping others. For example, pupils in Year 6 support children in Reception Year on the playground. Pupils take part in a range of activities to develop their interests and talents. These include sports, reading and chess clubs. Some pupils develop useful leadership skills, such as acting as a librarian, school councillor or a ‘wellbeing warrior’.

What the school should improve

• Leaders must ensure that they develop a positive safeguarding culture so that pupils feel safe and are safe when at school.
• Leaders must ensure that there is a coherent curriculum that is delivered well by teachers so that pupils build a secure body of knowledge across the curriculum. This is particularly important in reading, writing and mathematics so that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Leaders must ensure that teachers are suitably equipped to identify and then resolve gaps in pupils' basic reading, writing and mathematics knowledge, so that pupils can access their learning and achieve success.
• Leaders must ensure that they identify the needs of pupils who face barriers to learning, especially pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders must then make sure that these pupils receive the support that they need to thrive and flourish.
• Leaders and governors must ensure that pupils with SEND receive their full educational entitlement so that they can experience success.
• Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in the early years enables children to master all that they should, especially in writing, so that they are well prepared for Year 1.
• Leaders, including governors, must ensure that they gain an accurate insight into the root causes of the weaknesses at the school, and then use this information to bring about sustained improvement so that pupils achieve well and gain a sense of enjoyment in belonging to the school.
• Governors must ensure that they meet all of their statutory duties. They must gain the skills, knowledge and expertise to offer well-informed challenge to leaders in order to contribute to the school's recovery.
• Leaders should ensure that they provide staff with the support and guidance that they need so that incidents of bullying, name-calling and disruption to learning cease and pupils regain confidence in staff to deal with any issues that they raise.
• Leaders should build on their recent strategies to improve pupils' attendance so that the rates of persistent absence for some disadvantaged pupils reduce.
• Leaders should revisit their programme to promote pupils' personal development so that pupils learn all that they should in readiness for life in modern Britain.

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