Glenmead Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 July 2026

Pupils at Glenmead feel safe, happy and valued. Staff build positive relationships with pupils and families and greet them warmly each morning. Pupils trust adults and know that staff care about their wellbeing. Pupils have regular opportunities to talk about their feelings and experiences. This helps them feel settled and ready to learn. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities value the support they receive and speak positively about the care and encouragement staff provide. Pupils enjoy school and the many opportunities available to them. They are polite, respectful and welcoming towards others. They typically behave well around the school and work hard in lessons. Bullying and discriminatory behaviour are rare, and staff deal with any incidents swiftly and effectively. Some pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they could be. Gaps in their spelling, grammar and handwriting slow progress in writing for some pupils. In addition, some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This means they miss important learning and wider experiences. Children make a positive start to their education in the early years. From their first days in school, adults help them settle quickly into routines and become confident learners. Staff teach phonics consistently well from the start of Reception. As a result, children make secure progress in reading across the early years and into key stage 1. Pupils are proud to be members of their school and local community. They enjoy a wide range of enrichment opportunities, including clubs, outdoor learning and community events. Leaders ensure that all pupils can take part and benefit from these experiences. These opportunities broaden pupils’ horizons, develop confidence and strengthen their understanding of life in modern Britain. The school’s caring and inclusive culture helps pupils feel supported and respected. Positive relationships between staff and pupils underpin daily life at Glenmead and contribute to a calm and purposeful learning environment.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the revised reading and writing curriculums are coherently sequenced and progressive, enabling pupils to build on and secure foundational knowledge and skills, particularly in relation to spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting.
• Leaders should ensure that checks on pupils' learning consistently identify and address errors, to limit the risk of these errors being repeated over time.
• Leaders should ensure that adaptations to learning are carefully matched to pupils’ individual starting points.
• Leaders should continue to reduce persistent absenteeism, both overall and for all groups of pupils.

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