Priory CofE Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 July 2026

Pupils feel valued and develop a sense of belonging at this highly positive and nurturing school. Staff are fully committed to getting to know their families and community. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive, warm and respectful. Pupils feel safe. Pupils attend regularly and arrive at school happy and ready to start each day. From the early years, children learn to be considerate of others. This is because staff model expectations clearly. Pupils recognise what it means to embody the school values and to be part of the school community. They demonstrate respect for others and understand the importance of tolerance and fairness. In lessons, pupils are focused and calm and exhibit positive behaviours for learning. They want to do well and show enthusiasm. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that staff will help resolve any concerns they have. Wellbeing and pastoral support are a strength of the school. They are at the heart of pupils’ daily experiences. Staff help pupils to manage their emotions well, settle quickly and be ready to learn. ‘The Hive’, which supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is a carefully designed, warm and inclusive area with highly skilled staff. This allows pupils to thrive. Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities that develop their interests and talents, including opportunities to visit the Houses of Parliament and clubs such as sewing and 'Music Squad'. Pupils are extremely proud of the leadership roles they have at school, for example, the school's ‘Advocates’ programme. Through these roles, pupils develop confidence, a sense of responsibility and aspirations for who they want to be and the difference they want to make. Pupils generally achieve well at this school and there has been a notable improvement in standards of achievement over time. From the early years, most pupils make appropriate progress from their starting points. This is reflected in published outcomes, which are in line with national averages. Pupils who are disadvantaged and those who have SEND are supported very effectively through carefully planned and tailored actions. Disadvantaged pupils achieve above the national average in many areas by the end of Key Stage 2. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that younger pupils have sufficient opportunities to practise accurate letter and number formation and sentence structure.
• Leaders should ensure staff use checks on learning consistently to spot mistakes and misconceptions quickly, so pupils can correct these accurately, therefore building secure, foundational understanding.
• Leaders should improve pupils’ achievement and outcomes to be consistently above the national average, including those pupils working at a higher standard.

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