Thorngumbald Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 February 2023

Adults have high expectations of pupils. In lessons, pupils are attentive and enthusiastic to take part. In subjects such as French, pupils recall a range of vocabulary. They remember the names of animals and foods. Adults make sure that pupils enjoy their learning and feel safe in school. Pupils have a say in making changes in the school. They are proud of the 'STAR' values that they have suggested. Pupils do adhere to these values by being safe, working as a team and being resilient. They aspire to do their best. Pupils vote to elect school council members. All members of the school community embrace equality of opportunity. Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone fairly. Behaviour is good. Bullying is rare, but adults help to resolve it quickly if it does happen. At lunchtimes, pupils like to take part in the playtime games, such as tennis and skipping. They enjoy completing the activity trail. Elected playtime monitors organise games for younger children. Pupils understand the importance of keeping healthy by choosing the correct foods to eat. Visiting sports groups helps pupils to understand what it is like to work in a sporting environment. Pupils enjoy trips linked to the curriculum, such as a history-themed visit to Eden Camp.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have not yet fully developed an accurate system to check what pupils know in the foundation curriculum subjects. This means that teachers cannot accurately identify gaps in pupils' knowledge or misconceptions in pupils' learning in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that a system is put in place that allows teachers to check purposefully what pupils do and do not know across the breadth of the curriculum.

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