Walsham-le-Willows Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 March 2023

Support from staff and peers ensures pupils feel valued and supported at this caring, welcoming school. Pupils learn from staff about how to treat others with kindness and understanding, so they can concentrate in lessons and play together harmoniously on the playground. Pupils are safe at their school. They appreciate how adults encourage them to talk about any worries or fears. It means pupils receive support from adults when they need it most. Because pupils learn to be respectful and voice their concerns, bullying is rare. Staff help pupils to resolve any disagreements quickly. Pupils live up to leaders' high expectations. Pupils benefit from a curriculum that typically allows them to develop the school values: discover, inspire and grow. For example, when learning French, younger pupils start off learning select words and phrases. By the time they reach Year 6, pupils can confidently hold a detailed conversation with each other. Pupils enjoy voting on issues that will have a direct impact on their school community. They also like the many opportunities they have to learn about the things that they might do and explore when they are older. These include hearing from a visiting author about how he writes a book, creating a business with a small budget, and showing their handmade passports to visit and enjoy the cultures of different countries set up in a classroom.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have put in place clearly sequenced curriculum planning that teachers mostly follow to good effect. However, teachers occasionally deviate in ways that are unhelpful for pupils, arranging activities that are not best placed to help pupils secure the knowledge and skills that leaders want them to learn. Leaders should check that teachers understand the specifics set aside for them to teach, including how to use their assessment of what pupils know and can do to inform the activities they arrange for pupils to complete.

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