Wykeham Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 November 2024

Wykeham Primary School provides a welcoming and nurturing environment in which pupils feel happy and safe. Pupils are confident that if they have any worries, there is always an adult in the school who will listen and help. Relationships between staff, pupils and their families are warm and supportive. This creates a positive school environment with a real sense of community. Behaviour around school and in lessons is positive. In lessons, pupils are attentive and try their best. Pupils are thoughtful, polite and well mannered. They enjoy going to school and attendance is high. Starting from the early years, pupils learn the school's values of excellence, equality and enjoyment. The school has high expectations for the achievement of all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve strongly. Staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and adapt the curriculum successfully. By the end of key stage 2, most pupils achieve well and are ready for their next stage of education. Pupils are keen to take on roles of responsibility, such as being school councillors, eco- warriors or being a buddy for younger children. Pupils approach their roles with maturity and are proud to make a valuable difference to their school.

What the school should improve

• There are inconsistencies in how early reading and letter formation are taught, even though the school has a systematic and well-planned approach to early reading and writing, including phonics. This means that some pupils do not secure the key knowledge they need to become confident readers and writers. The school should ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to implement the phonics programme consistently well.
• The curriculum in some subjects is not fully secure. It is not at a point where it is implemented to a consistent standard. Because of this, pupils' learning is not reflective of the depth and ambition of the school's curriculum. The school should ensure that curricular aims are fully embedded in teaching so that pupils develop their knowledge and skills consistently.
• Systems for reporting and checking the school's work around safeguarding are not fully developed or understood by all staff. Information is not easily accessible at times. The school should ensure that record-keeping is coherent and well organised, and that staff have a clear, confident understanding of how to fulfil their responsibilities in this area.

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