Henry Chichele Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 December 2025

Pupils are happy and feel safe at Henry Chichele Primary School. Pupils are welcomed into a calm, nurturing and friendly environment, where they are ready to learn. Staff build warm and nurturing relationships with pupils. Pupils know that staff will listen to them if they have a concern. Pupils benefit from wider experiences through after-school clubs, including sports clubs and performing as part of the school choir. They enjoy their leadership roles, for example, as a librarian or anti-bullying ambassador. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The 'Henry Chichele' way sits at the heart of the many improvements in school. Well- established routines and increasingly high expectations of behaviour ensure that pupils learn in calm classrooms. Leaders are developing pupils' positive attitudes to learning. However, weaknesses in pupils' written work are not being addressed quickly enough. Pupils play and socialise well together. Pupils report that incidents of bullying are dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils benefit from clear routines for learning. Pupils enjoy their learning; they talk about what they have learned with confidence. Most pupils are prepared for the next stage of their learning. However, some of the work for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities is not well matched to what they know. At times, teachers do not make the intended learning clear. Leaders do not have an accurate view of the quality of teaching. Most pupils attend well, but too many disadvantaged pupils are persistently absent from school. Governors do not hold leaders to account for this aspect of their work. In the early years, children get off to a positive start. They are happy, settled and they want to learn. The curriculum is focused on developing communication and language. Positive and constructive interactions support children to improve their vocabulary.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure they understand how the curriculum is delivered in all subjects and that learning, including during independent work, enables pupils to make secure progress.
• Leaders should refine the support strategies for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that they match pupils' needs. These strategies should then inform the curriculum and teaching, helping pupils build successfully on what they already know.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information to check pupils' foundational knowledge and understanding and to inform the teaching of all aspects of writing.
• Leaders and governors should ensure that the school's attendance strategy and use of pupil premium have the intended impact on improving attendance for disadvantaged pupils, and that governors hold leaders to account for the effectiveness of this work.
• Leaders should ensure that their communication strategy is implemented consistently and effectively to strengthen relationships with parents and carers.

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