Henhurst Ridge Primary Academy

Overview

Henhurst Ridge Primary Academy is described as a place where pupils are “happy, safe and enjoy coming to school.” Leaders maintain high expectations, resulting in good behaviour and strong personal development, with parents being “overwhelmingly positive” about the atmosphere. The school provides a broad curriculum and effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Strengths

• Pupils are “proud of their school” and demonstrate good manners, with bullying being “rare” and dealt with quickly.
• The curriculum is “broad and ambitious,” featuring “golden threads” that help pupils build on previous learning in most subjects.
• Reading is a clear priority; staff are “skilled in teaching phonics,” ensuring most pupils become “confident and fluent readers.”
• Early years provision is strong, with children settling quickly and being “well prepared for learning in Year 1.”
• Leaders successfully promote sustainability, with pupils engaging in community work and understanding environmental care.

Areas to improve

• In a few subjects, leaders have not “identified the precise knowledge that pupils need to know,” hindering effective learning progression.
• Some teachers lack the guidance needed to plan activities that help pupils “remember their learning over time,” leading to gaps.
• Too many pupils are “regularly absent from school for long periods,” causing them to miss important learning opportunities.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective,” with staff well-trained to identify risks and leaders responding promptly to concerns.