Gilnow Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 16 June 2026

Pupils enter this calm, nurturing school ready to learn. They behave well. Pupils follow the well-established routines that are in place. They are polite and show respect for others. Generally, pupils attend school every day. Pupils who struggle to attend school regularly receive the support that they need to reduce their absence rates from well-trained staff. Children in the early years flourish. They thrive in a language-rich environment. Children learn new words, start to read and use numbers well. They are ready for the learning which awaits in Year 1. Pupils enjoy learning. They typically progress well through the curriculum and achieve well. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain well in the national reading, writing and mathematics tests and assessments. They are well prepared for secondary school. Pupils who have barriers to learning receive the support that they need to be successful. For example, many pupils learn to speak English as an additional language. They listen to stories and learn to read confidently using phonics. Pupils who are new to school are helped to catch up in their curriculum knowledge because of the support that they receive. This reduces the barriers to learning that these pupils face. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported because of the targeted help they receive in group work. They have a trusted adult to speak to if they need help. Bullying is rare, but when it happens it is dealt with swiftly by leaders. Pupils are safe and know how to keep themselves safe online. They play well together and enjoy the activities provided for them at social times. Pupils make friends and look after each other. Older pupils act as sports leaders and work with trained sports coaches to offer activities at lunchtime. Pupils access a wide range of trips that bring their learning to life. They take part in inter-school sports competitions and generally attend after-school enrichment clubs. Pupils are overwhelmingly positive about school life.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently implement well-thought-out activities across the curriculum in key stage 2 to promote and improve pupils’ fluency in writing.
• Leaders should refine the processes in place to evaluate the impact of their actions to improve teaching. They should use this information to continue to drive improvements.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently provide well-thought-out activities to pupils with SEND in the classroom to meet their needs and help them learn well.

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