Wilton Primary Academy

Overview

Wilton Primary Academy is a small village school where a ‘family atmosphere’ helps pupils feel happy and safe. Leaders have high expectations and deliver a curriculum that enables pupils to achieve well, particularly in reading and mathematics. The school maintains strong staff morale and effective safeguarding arrangements.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy attending school, benefit from a ‘family atmosphere’, and are ‘very well known to staff’.
• Teachers use ‘effective use of assessments’ in English and mathematics, securing ‘strong learning’ through regular recall opportunities.
• Phonics teaching is consistent, with well-matched books enabling pupils to ‘achieve well in reading’.
• Staff successfully ‘widen pupils’ horizons’ through links with other schools, enhancing understanding of future pathways.
• Behaviour is ‘good overall’, with bullying incidents being ‘very rare’ and resolved promptly.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must complete their review of the transition approach between early years and Year 1 to ensure a ‘smooth transition’ and that learning builds effectively on prior knowledge.
• Assessment in some foundation subjects is ‘not fully developed’, making it difficult to evaluate curriculum impact; leaders should introduce ‘manageable and effective approaches’.
• Pupils’ knowledge of online safety is ‘rather limited’, despite coverage in PSHE and computing lessons.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff identifying vulnerable pupils promptly and collaborating well with external agencies, though pupils’ understanding of online safety requires strengthening.