Elmswell Community Primary School, near Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, celebrates positive Ofsted report

A school that puts its vision of ‘nurturing a community of learners’ at its heart has maintained its good standards.

Elmswell Community Primary School, near Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds, had an ungraded Ofsted inspection in February which found it had ‘taken effective action to maintain the standards’ identified at the previous inspection.

The school, which was graded ‘good’ at a full Ofsted inspection in 2016, is a place where pupils enjoy being part of that community and feel safe and happy, the inspector said.

The report said: “The school provides an environment that puts its vision of ‘nurturing a community of learners’ at its heart.”

In further praise for the 361-pupil school, the report says teachers have high expectations for pupils’ learning, and the children rise to this challenge, the ‘interesting’ curriculum is brought to life by trips and visitors, and students are polite and respectful to each other.

Headteacher Jane Ash said: "We are very proud that Elmswell School continues to be a good school.

“This has been achieved through the dedication and hard work of all the staff and the support of our school community.

“Our children engage well with their learning, are polite and respectful and enjoy all that Elmswell School has to offer.

“It is particularly pleasing that our Early Years children make a good start to their education and that children with SEND make strong progress."

In further highlights, the Ofsted report said:

♦ Older pupils relish the opportunity to take on responsibilities, such as house captains and junior road safety officers;

♦ The curriculum is broad and ambitious and is taught effectively by teachers with strong subject knowledge;

♦ Teachers ensure that they adapt teaching and activities so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as others. They make strong progress in their learning;

♦ Children make a good start in early years;

♦ Pupils’ learning to read is prioritised;

♦ Leaders strive to make decisions that are in pupils’ best interests and have a strong vision for the school.

In areas to focus on for improvement, Ofsted said: in some subjects, teachers do not use information about what pupils know to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and inform future learning; and some pupils do not have enough opportunities to revisit the transcription skills set out in the school’s handwriting programme.