Standish St Wilfrid's Church of England Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 March 2026

Pupils are proud to belong to the St Wilfrid's family. From the Nursery class onwards, staff know children well and include them fully in all aspects of school life. Pupils know that everyone is welcome here. They attend well. Behaviour in lessons and around school is thoughtful and considerate. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and to one another. They value friendships and feel well cared for by staff. Pupils achieve well. They progress securely through the curriculum. Outcomes are typically well above national figures, including for disadvantaged pupils. By the time they leave, pupils are very well prepared for secondary education. Leaders remove barriers to learning so that all pupils can succeed. Enrichment deepens learning. Staff weave visits to a farm, an aquarium and a Roman museum purposefully into the curriculum. Pupils confidently link these experiences to their learning in history, geography and science. Pupils benefit from the school's emphasis on sport and mental wellbeing. Weekly swimming lessons, yoga sessions and competitive sport help pupils to thrive. Extra-curricular clubs, such as science, choir, drama and computing, enable pupils to explore new interests and develop talents. Residential trips for older pupils build independence and resilience. Staff use additional funding effectively to ensure that no child misses out on these opportunities. Pupils' leadership roles build their confidence and self-belief. The pupil leadership team plays a central role in improving the school. Recently, the team led a sustainability project after attending a climate summit. Pupils receive effective support to understand the wider world beyond their local community. Well-chosen books, assemblies and classroom discussions help pupils learn about global issues such as deforestation. This learning prompts action, such as raising money for charity. Pupils understand right and wrong, the rule of law and fundamental British values. They use this knowledge to contribute positively to school life.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should make sure that training develops the expertise of staff to support children in developing their early writing skills securely so that children have regular planned opportunities to practise writing across the early years provision.
• Leaders should analyse the systems and data they have about the school's work more closely so that they can act with precision for continued improvement.
• Governors should strengthen how they hold leaders to account so that they can support further improvement across the school.

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