Huntingtower Community Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 27 January 2026

Whatever the weather, pupils enter school with big smiles and plenty to say. They love their school and they attend well. Pupils are welcomed into a friendly, nurturing environment. They know that they are valued and cared for. Leaders and staff have consistently high expectations of behaviour. Pupils rise to the challenge and behave very well. They are well mannered and welcoming. Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils are confident that if unkind behaviour did happen, teachers would deal with it effectively. Pupils have positive, trusting relationships with staff. They are confident that they can share any worries they may have with staff, who will listen and help them. Pupils show kindness and support to each other in a number of ways. Older pupils like to support younger ones as ‘Tower Captains’. Pupils appreciate and respect difference. For example, pupils across the school use sign language when singing in assembly. Pupils reflect on their own wellbeing and their right to be safe and feel valued. Children get off to a positive start in the early years. They work well together and are keen to learn new things. Pupils participate in extra-curricular clubs, including choir, rugby and football. They value the school trips. Pupils are proud of their school. They report that it is ‘fun’ and ‘awesome’. They live out the behaviour expectations of respect, care and honesty. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their learning. Pupils enjoy their learning and try hard in lessons. However, their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has been inconsistent over time. In some areas, such as early reading and mathematics, there has been evident progress. However, this is not consistent and there is further work to do to improve pupils' writing. Disadvantaged pupils, young carers and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities learn successfully alongside their peers.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the well-designed curriculum is taught consistently well in all subjects and year groups, so that pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need for their next steps. • Leaders should continue their work to improve pupils' achievement, particularly in writing, and build on the improvements already made in other areas. • Leaders should further strengthen their work to deepen pupils’ understanding of different cultures, including knowledge of different faiths to make sure that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain. • Leaders should ensure that interactions with children in the early years consistently promote language development. They should ensure that staff have the skills to take every opportunity to develop children’s communication skills.

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