Wheatfields Primary School, located in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, received a Good rating in its recent inspection conducted on June 20-21, 2019. The headteacher's strong leadership, supported by governors and other leaders, has led to significant improvements since the previous inspection, where the school was rated as requiring improvement. The governing body demonstrates a solid understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development, effectively challenging leaders to maintain high expectations for all staff.
The quality of teaching, learning, and assessment is also rated as good. Teachers utilize assessment information to tailor learning activities to meet the diverse needs of pupils, addressing misconceptions promptly to facilitate their progress. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing, and mathematics. The school has implemented effective monitoring and evaluation processes, ensuring that pupils achieve well, particularly in English and mathematics.
Pupils' personal development, behavior, and welfare are well supported, with staff providing a safe and caring environment. Pupils report feeling safe and valued, and their conduct around the school is commendable, reflecting well-established routines. The school promotes a positive climate for learning, and pupils exhibit polite and courteous behavior towards each other and adults. However, there is a recognition that not all teachers consistently provide sufficiently challenging work for the most able pupils, which could help them reach their highest potential.
The early years provision is also rated as good, with structured opportunities for children to develop essential skills, particularly in language use. A significant majority of children are well-prepared for Year 1 by the end of Reception. The curriculum effectively promotes pupils' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development through a wide range of experiences both in and out of school.
Despite the overall positive findings, the school recognizes the need for further improvement. To enhance the quality of teaching, particularly for the most able pupils, the school aims to share successful strategies across the staff and ensure that these pupils are consistently challenged. Additionally, the school seeks to engage parents more effectively in supporting their children's learning by creating opportunities for them to visit the school and address any misconceptions.
Governance has improved since the last inspection, with a co-chair structure in place to increase capacity and drive rapid changes. Governors are actively involved in monitoring the school's performance and hold leaders accountable for the quality of teaching and pupil outcomes. They have undertaken training to better understand performance data and ensure that safeguarding remains a high priority.
The school's safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong procedures in place to address any concerns promptly. Staff receive regular training to ensure they are equipped to maintain pupils' safety. The majority of parents express satisfaction with the school's efforts, although some remain hesitant about the increased academic expectations being implemented.
Overall, Wheatfields Primary School has made commendable progress since its last inspection, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement in teaching, learning, and pupil welfare. The school is well-positioned to build on its successes and address the areas identified for further development, ensuring that all pupils can achieve their full potential.