Harwich Community Primary School and Nursery

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 October 2023

Many pupils are happy at this nurturing school. They are excited to see which class 'Attendance Ted' will visit each week and who will win 'Flamingo Bingo'. These carefully considered incentives motivate pupils to attend frequently. The school prioritises the well-being of all pupils. Pupils know there are adults and other pupils in school who will listen and help them should they need support. Pupils successfully follow the school rules of being safe, responsible and kind. Responsibility is particularly important to pupils. Prefects are proud of how they help and support younger children. Diversity champions and school councillors work well together to identify ways to improve the school. These roles help pupils to develop the skills they need to be 'ready to jump into adulthood'. Pupils behave well throughout the school day. They work hard in class to reach the high expectations the school has of them. The school playground and field are a hive of activity. Pupils enjoy playing hockey and football together. They also appreciate the opportunities the school has carefully provided for them for quieter activities. These include sharing and recommending books from their 'reading suitcases'.

What the school should improve

• In a few subjects, the school has not precisely identified the most important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to remember. This means there are occasions when teachers do not plan lessons that build on prior learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum in these subjects clearly identifies the most important knowledge and when it should be taught and revisited. The school should then ensure that assessment in these subjects is precisely linked to this knowledge. This is so that pupils make better connections between what they are learning now and what they have learned before.
• In some areas of the curriculum, the school's monitoring of how well pupils from Nursery to Year 6 are learning is less well developed than in others. This means the school does not always have the information it needs to make necessary changes or improvements. Leaders at all levels should ensure there is rigour to monitoring the impact of the work the school does.

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