Thomas Walling Primary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 January 2025

Pupils thrive here. They benefit greatly from the school's caring ethos. Decisions are made with pupils' best interests at heart. The school sets high expectations for its pupils. Pupils' outcomes compare favourably to national averages. The school does all it can to minimise any barriers or challenges that pupils may face. Pupils behave well. The 'Thomas Walling Way' provides a secure framework against which expected behaviours are set. This is explicitly taught and modelled by all staff. Pupils know what is expected of them at every part of the school day. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils are taught how to listen attentively and to respond to questions appropriately. They are respectful to staff and to each other. Learning takes place undisturbed. Many pupils describe their school as a place of safety and security. Playtimes are lively and filled with interesting games to play and activities to join in with. From navigating the increasingly challenging obstacle courses to pogo stick competitions, there really is something to satisfy all interests. Staff willingly join in to support pupils in their play and to help them to work cooperatively.

What the school should improve

• In a few subjects, aspects of the curriculum are new and not firmly embedded. In these subjects, pupils' knowledge is sometimes less secure. Occasionally, new subject content is introduced without the checks that pupils have the appropriate prior knowledge. This affects how well pupils progress through the curriculum in these subjects. The school should ensure that in these subjects teaching checks that pupils have the knowledge they need before moving on to new content and that pupils' learning builds securely over time.
• There is some variability in the implementation of the school's approach to developing pupils' early writing skills. This affects how well some pupils learn to write. Sometimes, inaccuracies in pupils' letter formation and transcription skills are not addressed well enough. The school should iron out any inconsistencies so that the teaching of early writing allows all pupils to build strong transcriptional skills in line with the curriculum intentions.

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