Mill O'Forest School

Overview

The inspection highlights a distinct contrast between the nursery class and the primary school. While the nursery is described as a place where children are "confident and thriving," the primary school faces significant challenges, with inspectors noting that the school "needs additional support and more time to make necessary improvements."

Strengths

• The "recently refreshed school values" are successfully helping to improve the school’s ethos, culture, and behaviour.
• Children in the nursery are "motivated, calm and very engaged" due to the high-quality nurture and support provided by practitioners.
• Children are proud of their school values and understand how these create better conditions for learning.

Areas to improve

• Senior leaders and staff must work with the local authority to improve "approaches to learning and teaching" and the monitoring of children’s progress in the primary school.
• Staff need to improve their understanding of national standards and "increase their expectations for children’s attainment in literacy and numeracy."
• Leaders must address "safety, bullying and behaviour issues" that are currently impeding children’s learning experiences in the primary school.

Safeguarding

The report states that senior leaders should work with children, parents, and staff to address "safety, bullying and behaviour issues that are impeding children’s learning experiences."