North Clifton Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 May 2026

North Clifton Primary School is a tight-knit community with pupils right at the heart of every decision. Each pupil is known as an individual. Pupils say that they belong here and are accepted for who they are in this small school. They consider the school to be part of their wider family, where everyone looks out for each other. Staff show a great deal of care for pupils and take high levels of interest in their lives and wellbeing. Pupils enjoy positive relationships with the adults in school based on trust and mutual respect. Parents, staff and the local community are immensely proud of the school. In 2024, they were delighted to celebrate the 225 years that the school has provided an education for the local children. Pupils are proud of their school too. They know that their teachers have high expectations of them. They throw themselves into their work and are active participants in their learning. Typically, they achieve well and develop the most important skills and knowledge they need for the next stage in their education. Pupils support each other in their play. They get on well together and are positive about the behaviour of others. At lunchtime they are keen to finish their lunch so that they can go outside and build an 'Iron Age fort' together. Pupils do not worry about bullying. They have absolute confidence in the staff to keep them safe and help them to deal with any problems they may encounter. Parents are deeply appreciative of the school’s work to care for and educate their children. They value the school’s unique context and routinely identify how happy their children are to come to school. One parent described the school as ‘the most perfect school, in the most perfect location’.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that staff consistently prioritise the delivery of the intended knowledge in lessons, rather than the task that pupils complete.
• The school should continue to support pupils to deepen their learning so that they are well placed to achieve the higher standards in national tests at key stage 2.
• Leaders should further embed their approach to the teaching of handwriting to ensure that all pupils develop accurate and fluent handwriting.

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