Old Sarum Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 June 2025

The school is now more stable following a period of turbulence. It has increasingly high expectations of pupils' behaviour and achievements. Now, more pupils meet these expectations. Although pupils describe how behaviour in school has improved sometimes learning and play times are still disrupted. There have been significant changes to the curriculum. Many of these changes have taken place recently. As a result, there are inconsistencies in how well it is implemented, and pupils' achievement remains variable. The school effectively promotes a love of reading. Pupils are proud of their new library space and enjoy reading with their teachers. The 'Project 50+', a relatively new initiative, reflects the school's ambition and commitment to ensuring that pupils have a rich range of experiences. This is now a strength of the school. These experiences help pupils develop their talents, interests and knowledge of the wider world. For example, pupils develop an understanding of democracy through voting for head students. They enjoy 'making a difference' weeks and being positive citizens in their community.

What the school should improve

• The implementation of the curriculum is not consistently effective. Staff do not routinely check for understanding and provide opportunities for pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding. This means that some pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not remember what they have learned. The school must ensure that pedagogical approaches are used consistently effectively, so that pupils retain the most important knowledge and deepen their understanding in different subjects over time.
• The writing curriculum for younger pupils is not sufficiently rigorous. This means that these pupils do not develop secure foundational writing knowledge. As a result, some older pupils are not able to write accurately or at length. The school should ensure that, starting in the early years, pupils develop strong transcriptional skills so that they write with confidence and at length.
• There is limited strategic oversight of the early years curriculum. While staff know pupils well and provide a range of activities for them, there is a lack of purpose when planning precisely what pupils need in order to reach a 'good level of development'. This means children do not consistently take part in activities specifically matched to their needs. The school must ensure that learning in the early years is purposeful and matched to children's needs, so that they are well-prepared for key stage 1.
• Some pupils do not meet the school's expectations of their behaviour. This can disrupt learning and cause other pupils to feel frustrated when this behaviour continues. The school must ensure that staff apply the behaviour policy consistently and fairly, so that learning is not disrupted and pupils have confidence that poor behaviour will be addressed.

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