Water Hall Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 July 2025

Pupils are starting to benefit from the school's higher expectations of what they can achieve. They are now experiencing a more ambitious curriculum. Nevertheless, many of the improved curriculums are in the early stages of being implemented. As a result, pupils in key stages 1 and 2 have gaps in knowledge across a range of subjects. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Conversely, children in the early years benefit from well matched learning that prepares them well for Year 1. Pupils are happy and feel a strong sense of belonging in this friendly and welcoming school. The school is centred around kindness. This focus contributes strongly to pupils' well-being and to their enjoyment of school. Staff encourage pupils to grow as people and learners. Pupils behave well and show kindness and empathy to each other. One said, representing the views of many, 'We look after each other.' Pupils feel safe and well cared for at the school. They say that staff help them when they have any concerns. The school is at the centre of the local community. It is a place where everyone is welcome. Pupils benefit from many leadership opportunities, such as being kindness ambassadors, who model and encourage others to notice when people show their care for others. Opportunities such as regular talks with the NSPCC and local police officers help pupils to engage with their community and understand the difference that they can make to others.

What the school should improve

• The school does not routinely check that pupils are fully secure with prior learning before they move on to new content. This means that pupils do not build on their prior knowledge as well as they should. The school should make sure that the checks made on pupils' learning identify misconceptions and gaps in learning so that these are quickly addressed before new learning is introduced.
• 'The school has not ensured that errors in pupils' spelling, punctuation and handwriting are consistently identified and addressed. As a result, some pupils continue to make the same mistakes over time. The school should ensure that systems are in place to identify and address these errors effectively, so pupils are supported to develop greater accuracy and expertise in their writing across the curriculum.

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