Wivelsfield Primary School and Nursery

Strengths

• Pupils are proud of their school and contribute positively to a welcoming, inclusive community
• Personal development and wellbeing are a strong standard, with a well-planned programme
• Pupils demonstrate kindness, respect, and empathy in daily interactions
• Leadership opportunities enable pupils to contribute actively to school life
• Personal, social, and health education is delivered very effectively
• Pupils show a strong understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics
• The school offers a rich range of experiences that broaden horizons and raise aspirations
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND access enrichment opportunities fully
• Strong pastoral provision, including The Nest and nurture groups, supports emotional wellbeing
• Reading remains a particular strength, with effective support for pupils who need to catch up
• Behaviour across the school is positive and typically calm
• Staff use effective strategies to support behaviour, including personalised approaches
• Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of education
• The curriculum is ambitious, broad, and well sequenced
• Staff benefit from high-quality professional development
• The early years curriculum is carefully designed and sequenced
• Children develop strong communication skills and secure foundations in mathematics
• Leaders have established a highly inclusive vision that is evident in practice
• Staff know pupils and their families well and work closely with parents and external specialists
• Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively and provide support and challenge
• Professional development is a key strength, and staff feel valued and supported

Areas for Improvement

• Published outcomes declined in 2025, and writing remains less secure than other subjects
• It is too early to see the full impact of actions to improve writing, which remains a school focus
• Leaders need to ensure that curriculum and teaching improvements are fully embedded and implemented consistently across subjects and phases
• Occasional low-level disruption persists, and consistency in applying high expectations for behaviour needs improvement
• The evaluation of the impact of interventions is not always consistently effective
• Monitoring and impact of interventions need to be rigorous and consistent so that vulnerable pupils progress well
• Disadvantaged pupils' performance in writing is below national averages, with a large disadvantage gap

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools