Henry Fawcett Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 June 2024

The school has equally high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are polite, courteous and respectful. Staff regularly encourage pupils to discuss their own ideas and opinions in class, and to expand their knowledge. Pupils are safe. Since the previous inspection, the school has reviewed and developed its curriculum thinking. As a result, the quality and depth of pupils' subject content knowledge and their writing skills across the curriculum has improved. The impact of improvements is not reflected in the school's published academic outcomes. The school has also worked hard to reduce the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school and raise attendance rates. Pupils are encouraged to be proud of their accomplishments and to contribute to the school community. For example, the eco-group helps pupils and staff to recycle and to use energy efficiently. Pupils in the food steering-group provide regular feedback on the school menu. The playground steering-group fundraised to buy new playground equipment. Many pupils participate in extra-curricular clubs. These include karate, roller-skating, boxing and chess club. Pupils' mental and physical health is treated as a priority and the school's personal development programme curriculum focuses on topics including healthy eating. Leaders organise several educational outings each year including visits to museums, libraries and monuments.

What the school should improve

• In a few areas of the curriculum, where the school's work to refine curriculum thinking is ongoing, the sequence in which knowledge and skills build up is not as well ordered as in the rest of the curriculum. On occasion, teaching moves on to new content before pupils' knowledge of previous learning is cemented. Where this is the case, pupils' understanding and recall is not as secure. The school should ensure that the order in which key content is taught is equally carefully thought through in all subjects and that pupils' learning is secure before moving on to new content.
• Persistent absence rates are falling but attendance rates are not as high as they should be. This means that a few pupils miss too much school and fall behind with their learning. The school should ensure that they continue the work that they do to improve overall attendance rates.

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