High Halden Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 23 June 2026

Pupils walk happily through the school gate each morning. They are greeted by caring staff who know them well. Staff and pupils build warm relationships across the school. Pupils describe the school as a friendly place. They treat each other with kindness and respect. Pupils trust the adults who look after them to help them if they have any worries. This helps pupils to feel safe. Pupils are fully included in everything the school has to offer. They develop into confident, resilient individuals through the many leadership roles they undertake. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) participate fully in the array of clubs and wider opportunities. This includes learning in the forest school and going on interesting trips. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They understand the established routines and the high expectations leaders have set for their conduct. Pupils are polite and well mannered. Pupils do not worry about bullying or discriminatory language. They say it rarely happens and trust staff to help them if they have disagreements with their friends. Pupils enjoy school and want to be here. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, attend well. Pupils enjoy learning about new things. They typically develop the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for the next stage of their education. Barriers for vulnerable pupils are identified quickly so they can learn well. Children in the early years get off to a positive start. They learn to read and write with increasing accuracy. This prepares them well for key stage 1. At the end of Year 6, pupils typically achieve in line with the national average for reading and writing. Leaders are ambitious for pupils to achieve consistently well in mathematics. Plans are already well underway to ensure that pupils achieve higher in mathematics and are ready for Year 7.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers use checks on learning precisely to address misconceptions and ensure that pupils have secured important knowledge before moving on to new learning, so pupils can achieve highly across the curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to practise using technical vocabulary, both spoken and written, so that pupils communicate effectively, including in the early years.
• Leaders and those responsible for governance should continue to regularly monitor and accurately evaluate the impact of their work so that this leads to sustained improvement in areas that need strengthening.

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