Stondon Lower School

Overview

Stondon Lower School continues to be a good school where pupils are happy and achieve well. The report highlights a ‘nurturing and caring environment’ where children thrive, supported by an ambitious curriculum and strong relationships between pupils and staff.

Strengths

• Pupils behave well, with bullying reported as rare, and adults effectively help them change unkind behaviour.
• The curriculum is ‘ambitious and relevant’, enabling pupils to talk confidently about the wider world through trips and visitors.
• Reading is a key focus; the vast majority of pupils read at or above the expected level using a consistent phonics programme.
• Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength, with well-suited support and access to the same ambitious curriculum as peers.
• Staff are overwhelmingly positive about leaders’ support for their well-being and workload.

Areas to improve

• Additional support for pupils struggling to learn to read is not consistently effective, meaning they do not catch up quickly enough.
• Some aspects of the early years curriculum lack clarity on specific skills and vocabulary, leading to missed learning opportunities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with up-to-date training ensuring staff are aware of potential risks and know how to report concerns.