Whitfield CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 27 January 2026

Pupils who attend this small village school are part of a warm, kind and welcoming community. They smile happily and share their overnight news with staff as they are greeted by name at the school’s front door each morning. Pupils behave extremely well. They trust staff to deal with any unusual incidents of unkind behaviour quickly and well. Pupils attend school regularly and arrive on time. They enjoy attending the school’s breakfast and after-school clubs. Every pupil knows the name of every other pupil who attends the school. Firm friendships are formed between pupils in all year groups. Pupils support each other well. All, from the youngest in early years to the oldest in Year 6, sing with gusto and harmony when they come together every day. Pupils undertake roles of responsibility willingly. They are highly effective eco-councillors, sports leaders, school councillors and collective worship organisers. The school knows its pupils and their families well. Relationships between school and home are strong. Pupils’ individual needs are identified quickly. The school makes referrals to services, such as occupational therapy, in a timely manner. Pupils, who are all Whitfield environmentalists, understand the meaning of sustainable energy. They look forward to their lessons in the school’s new woodland classroom. This outdoor learning initiative is one of leaders’ current actions to improve the school’s curriculum offer and boost pupils’ attainment and progress. Some pupils do not achieve as well as they should in reading, writing and mathematics. Children’s basic skills, such as pencil grip and letter formation, are not developed sufficiently well by the time they leave the early years. Parents and carers are happy with the standard and regularity of the school’s communication with them. They feel well informed about their child’s progress. One, echoing the views of many, said, ‘Our children are valued, listened to in class and taught with care and compassion.'

What the school should improve

• Leaders should make sure that all staff have high expectations of what children in the early years can do. They should make sure that learning activities provide children with sufficient challenge, especially in the acquisition of the knowledge and foundational skills needed to become fluent early readers and legible early writers. • Leaders should ensure that improving the attainment and progress of pupils in key stages 1 and 2 in reading, writing and mathematics is of the very highest priority and that the impact of the recently implemented improvement initiatives is evaluated incisively and regularly. • Leaders should check carefully that their strategies to improve the core and foundation subject curriculums, including by raising the expectations of all staff, are having the intended impact.

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