Walpole Highway Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 October 2022

Walpole Highway is a small, friendly school where relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful. Pupils are happy. Most value their learning and attend regularly. They enjoy their learning and respond well to teachers and the other adults who work with them. Pupils respond to adults' high expectations of behaviour. They behave well when working in the classroom and moving around the school. At break and lunchtime, older and younger pupils enjoy playing together. Adults know the pupils very well. This helps them to keep pupils safe. Pupils feel safe. They are confident that adults will deal with any worries they may have. Bullying is rare. Pupils enjoy the trips on offer, such as the recent visit to France with pupils from other federation schools. Pupils also take part in clubs such as choir and sport. Younger pupils enjoy their learning in the forest. Pupils love helping to look after the school's three alpacas. Parents and carers are positive about the experience their children are getting. One parent typified the views of others, noting, 'This is a very kind, caring and encouraging environment for children.'

What the school should improve

• In a few subjects, leaders have not ensured that curriculum plans identify all the important concepts and skills that pupils should learn. This means that staff are not clear as to what they should teach and in what order. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum in these subjects provides clear information about the most important knowledge pupils should learn in each year so that they build on previous knowledge effectively.
• Occasionally, especially where subjects are less well developed, staff are not well trained to deliver the curriculum. This means some staff do not have sufficient subject knowledge and their explanations lack clarity. They do not support pupils to gain a deep and full understanding of the knowledge being taught in these subjects. Leaders and subject leaders should ensure that all staff have had the required training and knowledge to enable them to deliver these subjects effectively.

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