The Ferns Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 1 October 2024

Pupils strive for success at this school. They are happy and feel safe. The school's ambition for all pupils to achieve their very best is at the heart of its work. Pupils rise to the school's high expectations for behaviour and learning. The school has transformed pupils' behaviour. Pupils can now focus on learning without any distractions. In lessons, pupils listen well and work hard. When pupils find something difficult, they show real determination and perseverance to be successful. Respectful behaviour permeates the school. Pupils are well mannered and polite. They play harmoniously together at breaktimes, enjoying the wide range of activities available. In recent years, pupils have not achieved as well as they should. National test results have been too low for many pupils. However, the school has improved the curriculum and how it is taught. These improvements are making a real difference to pupils' learning. While published test results do not yet reflect this, pupils now achieve well. Trips to places of interest enhance the curriculum. For example, visiting a local outdoors centre introduces pupils to adventurous sports such as canoeing and archery. In addition, workshops, such as in circus skills, develop pupils' talents and interests further.

What the school should improve

• Sometimes, pupils' understanding is not checked precisely enough to ensure it is secure before moving on to learning something new. This means that, on occasion, pupils develop misconceptions and gaps in their knowledge. The school needs to ensure that teachers know how to check for and address gaps in pupils' understanding effectively so that pupils learn well across the curriculum.

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