Pirton Hill Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 January 2026

Pupils enjoy their learning within the school’s nurturing ethos. Leaders and staff provide a calm and harmonious environment where pupils feel safe and behave well. Pupils understand the high expectations leaders have of them and develop positive habits for successful learning. Many pupils join the school part way through the year. They are warmly welcomed, enabling them to settle quickly. Pupils are caring and form positive friendships within the school’s diverse community. They play cooperatively during social times and work well together in lessons. Falling-out and bullying incidents are rare. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They speak out if they have concerns. They know that staff listen and respond swiftly to any worries, so pupils attend school regularly and with confidence. Pupils typically achieve as expected in reading and mathematics by the end of key stage 2. However, pupils’ achievement in writing is not as well established because gaps in spelling and handwriting are not yet fully secured for all pupils. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) blossom because of the extra support they receive. This prepares them well for their next steps. Some pupils with SEND benefit from personalised support in the quiet space of 'The Hive'. This reduces barriers to learning and helps to achieve pupils' individual targets on education, health and care plans or support plans. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or with SEND, participate in a wide range of clubs that develop their talents and interests. Trips to places such as Wimbledon and the Houses of Parliament broaden their understanding of the world beyond their local community. Pupils are aspirational about their futures. Residential trips enrich learning and build pupils’ confidence. Pupils take on leadership roles, such as being members of the school council. They contribute their ideas to improve the school.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers prioritise precise assessment of pupils’ gaps in writing so that highly effective teaching is embedded across subjects, year groups and for pupils who join partway through the year. • Leaders should ensure that teachers continue to strengthen their expertise so they consistently make effective choices about how to adapt the curriculum, enabling gaps in pupils’ grammar, spelling and handwriting to close rapidly. • Leaders should ensure that staff in the early years maximise opportunities for high-quality interactions throughout the day, so that informal times also promote children’s learning and language development.

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