New Road Primary & Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 April 2026

Pupils are happy, cheerful and relish the company of their friends and staff. Pupils socialise well with one another, celebrating their individual differences with pride. A significant number of pupils join the school midway through their education. They soon settle and make friends because of the warm welcome they receive from staff and their peers. Those pupils who have moved to the school from overseas are proud of their heritage, while now also being proud to be a member of the school. The youngest children in Nursery and Reception classes develop a thirst for learning. They delight in exploring the rich activities and experiences on offer. This enjoyment flows into classrooms across the school. Pupils behave well, paying close attention to staff and each other. In the past, too many pupils left the school ill-equipped for secondary school. They failed to grasp enough of the important knowledge they needed in reading, writing and mathematics. However, older pupils now learn more. Younger pupils, along with children in the early years, make great strides in their learning. Some pupils joining the school face barriers because they speak little or no English. Similarly, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities face challenges due to their individual needs. Staff see pupils as individuals and treat them as such. This careful individualised approach helps to break down pupils’ barriers to their learning. Attendance is much improved. Pupils attend school regularly, indeed, more regularly than they have in the past. Leaders know there is still work to do here. There remains some pupils who miss too much school. The opportunities pupils receive to see the world beyond Whittlesey enrich their experiences of the wider world. Outings to museums, places of worship and sporting fixtures, to name a few, provide opportunities for pupils to enhance their understanding of the world around them.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that effective teaching strategies are fully embedded so that pupils learn well across the curriculum and are very well prepared for their next stages of education, including being ready for secondary school by the end of Year 6.
• Leaders should intensify their work around attendance to further improve the attendance rates of a small number of pupils.

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