Padfield Community Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 February 2025

Pupils are proud of their school. They describe it as a welcoming place. Pupils explain how they go out of their way to make sure that everyone has a friend. Older pupils carry out leadership roles, helping younger pupils by reading with them and organising games at lunchtime. Pupils are enthusiastic about the new playground equipment. This helps to make their social times fun and active. Pupils behave well. They support each other in their work and play. They are keen to earn a gold sticker or badge as a reward for their good behaviour. Pupils belong to 'school houses'. They enjoy the healthy inter-house competition to who see who will win most points. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of the importance of being a good winner, and a good loser. One pupil said, 'We are happy if another house wins.' The school has high expectations for pupils' academic and personal achievements. Staff work closely together to support pupils to reach these high aspirations, for example through the recent improvements they have been made to the school's curriculum. Across the school pupils work hard to meet these high expectations and are well prepared for secondary school.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects the knowledge the school has identified for pupils to learn is not designed in a clearly logical sequence. This can mean that pupils are asked to complete learning tasks that do not build on prior learning. The school should ensure that in all subjects, the knowledge pupils learn builds carefully on their previous learning.
• Staff do not consistently use the checks they have made in the foundation subjects to address gaps in pupils' learning or possible misconceptions. This leaves pupils at risk of moving on to new learning before securing the prior knowledge they need. The school should ensure that teachers use the assessment information they gather effectively to assure themselves that pupils are well prepared for the next step in the curriculum.
• The school is not able to consistently identify which children in the early years have accessed the opportunities they have to practise and apply their learning. The school therefore does not always have a full picture of what children know and what they need to do next. The school should ensure that checks are made to establish what children know and can do to inform their next steps accurately.

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