Millfields Primary School

Inspection of Millfields Primary School Bowes Road, Wivenhoe, Colchester, Essex CO7 9RD

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since November 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Millfields Primary School is a caring school. From Reception, pupils are eager to share what they have been learning. Pupils are also kind to each other. They learn teamwork skills and work well with their peers. Pupils have a positive attitude to learning. They listen carefully to instructions and follow school routines sensibly. Staff have high expectations. Pupils enjoy the activities that staff prepare for them. Pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils individually. Pupils feel well cared for. They are confident that if they have any concerns, there are staff who they can speak to. Pupils know that staff will act on their concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of extra-curricular activities that are on offer. Clubs such as dancing, music and gymnastics help to develop pupils’ interests and talents. Pupils are proud to be part of the orchestra ensemble and perform for the community. Pupils appreciate the range of trips organised for them, including the recent seated volleyball tournament.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are an extensive range of leadership roles that many pupils proudly undertake. For example, pupils in Year 5 thrive on being play leaders and know that they have an important role to play in the positive playground atmosphere.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

There are positive relationships between staff and pupils at this school. Pupils value both this and the school’s inclusive ethos.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has created a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. The curriculum is logically ordered. For example, in mathematics, the curriculum helps to build pupils’ knowledge and skills progressively from Reception Year to Year 6. Consequently, pupils develop mathematical knowledge and skills well. In some subjects, essential knowledge that pupils need to learn is not always taught in line with the curriculum. Where this is the case, staff do not check what pupils already know and pupils do not build up their knowledge securely over time.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children in the early years are keen to learn. They quickly develop an understanding of important routines. Children show high levels of concentration. They cooperate well with each other and are ready to help their friends. The school ensures that language development is central to children’s learning. This means that staff and children have high-quality interactions throughout the day.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. The school has ensured that all staff are trained to teach phonics to a high standard. Skilled staff check pupils’ understanding before introducing new sounds. This means that teachers are quick to identify any pupils who struggle. Pupils achieve highly. Extra support, where needed, is put in place swiftly to ensure that pupils at earlier stages of reading catch up quickly. In all year groups, pupils 25 and 26 March 2025

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read books that match their reading ability. Pupils develop a love of reading and talk positively about the authors they enjoy.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) work effectively alongside their peers. Staff are committed to ensuring pupils with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes. Staff have a thorough understanding of pupils’ needs. They use this to personalise learning accordingly. This ensures that pupils with SEND can learn the full curriculum.

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Pupils are polite, kind and caring. They know the school rules and learn to demonstrate the school’s values, such as compassion, collaboration and resilience. They learn why these values are important and how they can be applied to their learning. Behaviour around the school, as well as breaktimes, is calm and purposeful. The school monitors attendance closely and works with families to improve attendance.

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The programme for pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils build skills such as confidence and resilience at an age-appropriate level. Staff expect pupils to become independent learners. For example, children in Reception learn to try tasks before asking adults for help. Older pupils know what it means to be a role model to the younger pupils.

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Governors are committed to the school. They provide the school with an effective balance of support and challenge. Governors understand and fulfil their statutory duties. Staff are positive about working at the school. They value the way school leaders and governors consider their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn is not always taught as planned. Where this is the case, checks on pupils understanding are not consistent and pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The school must ensure the precise knowledge it wants pupils to know and remember in all subjects is taught effectively. The school must check on pupils’ understanding to ensure that any gaps in knowledge are addressed. 25 and 26 March 2025

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 November 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has had a change of headteacher since the previous inspection.  The school runs a wraparound provision at the school. This includes breakfast and after-school provision.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders to discuss the school’s curriculum and its work in the curriculum, behaviour and attendance. The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, science and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. Inspectors

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considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ comments submitted via the free-text facility.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Nerrissa Bear, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Massey Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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