Hemyock Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 January 2026

Children in the early years do not achieve as well as they should. This is because, too often, staff do not help children to develop and embed their communication and language skills effectively enough. In addition, the activities staff provide are not well matched to children's developmental needs. School and trust leaders recognise these weaknesses. Leaders have introduced a revised early years curriculum alongside raised expectations for teaching and learning. However, it is too early to see the full impact on children's learning. Pupils achieve well at the end of key stage 2. They enjoy coming to school and develop a keen sense of belonging here. This is reinforced by the positive relationships staff form with pupils and their families. Each morning, staff greet pupils warmly and use this opportunity to engage in purposeful dialogue with parents and carers. This proactive communication helps staff to identify and respond quickly to any emerging barriers pupils face. Pupils are kind, confident and articulate learners. They embody the school's values of 'believe in yourself, be curious, show respect and embrace community' in everyday routines. In lessons, pupils listen respectfully to one another and respond thoughtfully when sharing their ideas. Visits and experiences link closely to the curriculum and deepen pupils' understanding of the world. Younger pupils explore their local village, while older pupils visit beaches, museums and the zoo. Each year, pupils also learn to play a different musical instrument and attend performances, such as live orchestral concerts. These opportunities broaden pupils' horizons and nurture an appreciation of the arts. Leaders foster a positive ethos of mutual respect. Behaviour is consistently positive and incidents of bullying are unheard of. Pupils feel safe and know they can speak to staff if they have concerns. They trust that staff will help them deal with any issues quickly.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is delivered effectively by strengthening staff expertise so that children experience high-quality interactions and well-planned activities that build their communication, language and early learning skills. • Leaders should ensure that teachers assess pupils' understanding effectively and address misunderstandings promptly so that pupils deepen their learning in all subjects and achieve highly.

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