Inkpen Primary School

Overview

Inkpen Primary School is described as a small institution with a "big heart," where "care and compassion underpin all that pupils experience." The report highlights a "warm and welcoming environment" that has successfully addressed historic curriculum weaknesses, resulting in pupils who "feel valued and supported" and are generally well-prepared for the next stage of their education.

Strengths

• Pupils "generally achieve well," particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who are "well supported so that they can access learning alongside their peers."
• Teaching is effective, with staff using "appropriate strategies to check that pupils understand" and ensuring "getting it right from the beginning is a priority."
• The school fosters a "happy, calm and harmonious" atmosphere where "mutual respect is woven through the school" and pupils demonstrate "high levels of resilience."
• Early years provision is strong, with "phonics teaching" helping children "learn to read quickly" and a clear focus on oracy and independence.
• Leaders have established a "genuine sense of equity," ensuring disadvantaged pupils and those facing barriers are fully included in school life.

Areas to improve

• Attendance has been "too low for a period of time," and while improvements are evident, leaders must continue actions to ensure pupils attend "as well as they should."
• Leaders should "further refine their approach towards the teaching of handwriting" to ensure all pupils form letters "accurately and legibly consistently well."
• In the early years, there are "missed opportunities to deepen children’s learning," such as through "high-quality adult interactions" or encouraging independent play.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an "open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" and concerns are "actively identified, acted upon and managed."