Orchard Primary School and Nursery

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 June 2026

Pupils are proud of their school and attend regularly. They feel safe and supported in the welcoming and nurturing environment. The school’s routines and the positive relationships pupils share with staff, give pupils a clear sense of belonging and emotional security. This is especially the case where pupils have any barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Pupils enjoy school and behave well, showing great respect for staff, peers and visitors alike. Children get off to a positive start to their education in the early years. The new 2-year-olds settle quickly alongside their nursery peers. Children develop great enthusiasm for learning and the right foundations for their learning throughout school. Generally, pupils’ experiences of the school’s curriculum build on this. However, recent improvements, such as in mathematics and writing, are not yet realised fully in pupils’ achievement. Leaders are working on making sure that all pupils are well-prepared for their next stage of education. Pupils flourish in their broader development. The school’s values underpin their growth. Pupils love to play and be adventurous, in all weathers. They are eager to put on their wellies and overalls at playtimes. They get involved enthusiastically in activities such as riding scooters and digging in the mud. They learn skills like cooperation, teamwork and resilience. They achieve personal challenges like learning to ride a bike. Pupils understand and follow all the safety rules. They wear helmets and take care with the spades. Playtimes are joyous with rarely any disagreement. Pupils do not worry about unkindness or bullying because it is uncommon and resolved effectively. Pupils benefit from a range of experiences to learn about life in modern Britain and develop inclusive attitudes towards others. Overall, the school supports pupils well in becoming healthy, well-rounded citizens who understand their rights and responsibilities and can express themselves with confidence.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should strengthen and embed recent improvements in mathematics and writing to ensure pupils develop secure strong foundations that support their future learning and enable all pupils to achieve well.
• Leaders should ensure teachers check pupils’ learning systematically to identify misconceptions and gaps in learning, especially in mathematics. Leaders should ensure that teachers use this information consistently to inform and adapt their teaching, ensuring they address misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ learning swiftly.
• Leaders should ensure all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have precise targets. They should ensure that staff use these targets consistently to make adaptations that enable pupils with SEND to achieve greater success and independence.

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