Pratts Bottom Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 September 2024

Pratts Bottom Primary School is a warm and nurturing school where pupils are happy. There is a strong sense of community. The school's motto of 'a small school with a big heart' reflects the inclusive and welcoming nature of everything that happens here. Pupils are very proud of their school. Older and younger pupils mix happily together. Pupils feel and are kept safe. Recent changes to the school's leadership have brought a sharp focus on setting high expectations for pupils' achievement and behaviour. These expectations are shared and understood by staff and pupils. Pupils learn well across the curriculum; however, their achievement is not currently reflected in published outcomes. This is because much of the curriculum is new, with work underway to ensure that pupils consistently secure deep knowledge across subjects. The school's core values of kindness, unity and sustainability thread through all aspects of school life. In lessons and around the school, pupils' behaviour is excellent. Pupils show respect to adults and one another. Learning is taken seriously, and pupils are diligent in lessons. Pupils' embrace the wealth of opportunities and experiences that support their wider development. These include educational visits that enhance the taught curriculum as well as learning to play a musical instrument. Pupils have meaningful opportunities to take on roles of responsibility. For example, the school council have created and run a school tuck shop. Pupils value the contribution that they are able to make to their school.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum is still new and not fully embedded. Although staff understand and implement the school's curriculum well, there are a few aspects that need to be embedded further so that pupils' learning deepens as leaders intend and pupils remember detailed knowledge in the long term. The trust and the school need to continue supporting leaders and staff to implement the school's curriculum so that it has the intended impact on pupils' learning.
• Checks on what pupils know are sometimes not robust enough. This means that there can be occasions where errors and misconceptions are not picked up and addressed. The school needs to continue to develop staff expertise so that checks on what pupils know are rigorous and robust and errors and misconceptions do not go unnoticed.

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