Highfields Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 March 2024

This is a highly inclusive, happy school. At the centre of everything is pupils' learning and development and the whole child. Staff are passionate about providing the best for pupils. Parents, carers and their children know and appreciate this. A phrase that several used to describe the staff was, 'They genuinely care about the children and go above and beyond.' Pupils' positive behaviours and attitudes shine through in class, in the playground and around school. Staff expect high standards of behaviour. Staff support pupils through conversations rather than sanctions if behaviour falls below these expectations. Pupils recognise and value this approach. As a result, pupils are kind, calm and feel safe. They understand equality and acceptance and consider their school to be just like 'one big family'. Aspirations are high for pupils, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are relentless in encouraging pupils to do their best. They have high expectations of what pupils can learn, and this shows in how well pupils do. Pupils are excited by and engaged in their learning. As the school motto states, the pupils here are given the 'roots to grow and wings to fly'.

What the school should improve

• The attendance of some groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, is not as high as it should be, despite improvement this year. This means they miss lessons and fall behind. The school should further implement strategies to work with parents of pupils who attend poorly so that these pupils have good attendance and take full advantage of the school's curriculum offer.

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