St Chad's CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 December 2024

Pupils thrive in this welcoming school. They enjoy learning and attend well. Pupils know that adults will listen to their worries. This helps them to feel happy and safe in school. The school is ambitious for all pupils. Adults ensure that they are all included and can access learning successfully. Pupils develop knowledge and understanding across the curriculum well. They relish challenging themselves with deeper learning and talk enthusiastically about how staff make learning interesting. Pupils are polite and they behave well. Established routines contribute to a calm and purposeful learning environment. This allows pupils to do their best. Pupils take pride in living out the school values of 'kindness, faith and honesty'. Pupils learn why these matter, and through their positive behaviour demonstrate them across the school. Older pupils spend time with their younger buddies each week. At social times, pupil playleaders arrange games for younger children and school councillors run the creativity crib. Pupils benefit from the many trips and residential visits that the school provides. These help them to become confident and independent. Parents and carers feel welcome and included in school life right from the start. They are highly positive about the school.

What the school should improve

• The school has not yet ensured that all pupils develop good pencil grip, letter formation and neat handwriting. The school's expectations of the presentation of pupils' work are not being consistently reinforced by staff. This means pupils' work is not consistently well presented, and pupils' ability to express their ideas in writing fluently is hindered. The school should ensure that staff teach handwriting effectively so that pupils present work in line with the school's expectations and write fluently across the curriculum.

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