Wilcombe Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 February 2026

Leaders ensure that the school’s ethos of ‘Everyone is different and everyone is welcome’ is fully understood and enacted by pupils. Pupils demonstrate inclusive attitudes in their learning, play and wider school life. As a result, pupils develop a clear sense of belonging and describe the school as another home. Pupils are safe and say they feel safe. The school environment is calm. Pupils know they can speak to any adult if they have concerns. Staff know pupils well and pupils feel cared for. Behaviour is positive and attendance is generally in line with the national average. Incidents of bullying are rare. The wide range of residential trips and an effective programme for personal development help prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. Over the past 2 years, there have been a series of significant changes at the school, including the appointment of a new headteacher. There has been a growing number of pupils arriving from a diverse range of previous settings, who have been supported well to settle into life at this school. School leaders, supported by the trust, have taken purposeful action to address key areas for improvement. They have successfully established a targeted provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which is reducing the barriers to learning for pupils with high levels of need. However, many pupils still do not receive the quality of education they deserve. Leaders have accurately identified the next steps needed to strengthen the school, and while there are early signs of improvement, progress is neither rapid nor consistently effective. As a result, too many pupils continue their learning with gaps in their knowledge. Staff do not always have the expertise required to support pupils effectively, and their checks on pupils' learning are not used well enough to address pupils’ misconceptions. Consequently, pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they should be.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that staff have the pedagogical expertise needed to support pupils to learn consistently well.
• Leaders should ensure that assessment and feedback are used effectively so that teachers identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge quickly and so they plan learning that builds securely on what pupils already know and can do.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils develop the essential knowledge and skills they need, particularly in relation to handwriting, spelling, grammar and number facts.
• Leaders should ensure that all staff share consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve so that pupils produce work of a high quality.

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