Sparsholt Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 31 October 2023

This is a welcoming and vibrant school. Pupils are friendly and show kindness towards each other. Friendships extend across year groups, and Years 5 and 6 pupils are impressive role models who seek to help others whenever they can. At playtime, they enthusiastically run games for younger pupils and make sure that everyone is included. Pupils' conduct strongly reflects the school's values of 'Courage, Compassion and Creativity'. The school has high expectations for all pupils to achieve their best. Pupils respond positively to these. They try hard in lessons and keenly get involved in a range of clubs and school events. Pupils enjoy regular opportunities to share their ideas. They take pride in their contributions and talk excitedly about how their views have shaped the 'Pond Project'. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and positive. Pupils are well cared for and value the attentive approach of staff. They feel safe and know that any concerns they report to staff will be addressed promptly. Parents and carers value how the school builds pupils' confidence through its nurturing approach and the focus on participation. One parent captured this, saying, 'The school has shaped a positive and striving attitude in my children.'

What the school should improve

• In some foundation subjects, assessment does not identify pupils' knowledge gaps or revisit previous learning. In these subjects, staff cannot then secure the knowledge pupils have not fully learned. The school needs to ensure that assessment practice across all subjects identifies where pupils' understanding is less secure, and that staff know how to address this effectively.

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