Schools & FE · Report card

Wells Hall Primary School

Inspected 20 Jan 2026 · URN 144218

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Jonny Wallace (lead), Jennifer Brassington, Joseph Figg, Neil Taggart

What we read, and from where

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Achievement verified
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour verified
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
Early years verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Expected standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
20 Jan 2026
Inspectors verified
Jennifer Brassington, Jonny Wallace, Joseph Figg, Neil Taggart
Postcode verified
CO10 0NH
Name on report verified
Wells Hall Primary School
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
144218

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Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementExpected
Attendance and behaviourExpected
Curriculum and teachingExpected
Early yearsExpected
InclusionExpected
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+72Very positivemore positive than 47% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseambitiousstrongeffectivelyclearpositivewarmexcellentexceptionally

Criticismat riskmissedconcernsfall behindfalling behindnot yetpersistently absentnot effectively

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1678w+71
Leadership238w+82
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve61w0

Strengths

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Concerns

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Any pupil at risk of falling behind is supported to keep up or catch up with their peers. p.2

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 2,026; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 46, typical 43
Average sentence: 15 words
Next steps: 2; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 7%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 55%Leadership 8%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 34%

Full report text

Wells Hall Primary School

Address: Wells Hall Road, Great Cornard, Sudbury, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 0NH Unique reference number (URN): 144218

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well in national assessments of reading, writing and mathematics. In most cases, this is close to average. This includes disadvantaged pupils, who typically achieve above their national counterparts. Pupils’ work is also of an age-appropriate standard across these subjects. The number of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check is not yet where leaders want it to be. However, the school has taken decisive action to improve these outcomes. Pupils who fall behind catch up quickly and typically achieve in line with national by the end of Year 6.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils across the school generally achieve well in wider curriculum subjects. Where knowledge is taught explicitly, pupils learn particularly well. They retain and articulate their learning clearly, demonstrating an expanding depth of knowledge. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well to achieve from their starting points due to well-informed adaptations.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school has worked effectively to improve pupils' attendance rates across the school. Leaders ensure that the school is a welcoming place for pupils and their families. Leaders recognised that attendance was a barrier to pupils achieving well. They have taken a caring and supportive approach to helping pupils attend more regularly. This has had the desired impact. Attendance rates are improving year on year. Fewer pupils are persistently absent from school. Overall, pupils' attendance across the school, including for disadvantaged pupils, is now close to average.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

There are clear and consistent expectations set by adults about how pupils should behave in and around school. The recently introduced ‘Wells Hall Way’ has provided staff with well- considered ways to manage behaviour consistently. For example, the way pupils enter classrooms from the playground is clear and consistent. Pupils know what adults expect and typically meet these expectations. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are developing well. While many pupils demonstrate well ‑ established learning behaviours, a few require further support and modelling to ensure that their behaviour remains focused and supports their learning. In many cases, learning proceeds without disruption.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers are supported by a carefully considered and ambitious curriculum, which spans different subjects. It starts well in early years and sets out the knowledge pupils are intended to learn year on year. This helps teachers know what to teach and when and it supports leaders' agreed approach to teaching across the school. Leaders recognise where teaching is successful as well as where practice needs further development.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders make sure that staff have a clear focus on teaching pupils the most important knowledge first, such as counting, and recognising letters and sounds. Leaders have also rightly focused on ensuring that their early reading curriculum is taught well. Leaders' focused work on staff introducing a new approach, supported by comprehensive training, means phonics is taught consistently well. Pupils receive clearly delivered daily phonics sessions and their progress through the curriculum is checked carefully. Any pupil at risk of falling behind is supported to keep up or catch up with their peers.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide access to training that enables teachers to typically teach the wider curriculum as leaders intend. Teachers usually explain ideas clearly and demonstrate suitable subject knowledge in their explanations during lessons. The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well catered for. Suitable adaptations are made, such as the skilful use of technology, enabling these pupils to be taught effectively in class alongside their peers. However, on occasion, teaching does not move pupils on in their learning as well as they might. Sometimes opportunities to further support or challenge pupils in lessons are missed. Sometimes teachers do not have the confidence to adapt learning in lessons as effectively as they could.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

From the get ‑ go, staff build and value the warm relationships they establish with families. They work closely with parents and carers and engage with external agencies to secure additional support for children when required. Relationships between staff and children are warm and nurturing. Children, including disadvantaged children, settle quickly.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

The early years foundation stage curriculum is ambitious and well organised. Staff build children’s knowledge and skills deliberately across both Nursery and Reception. There is a clear focus on language and vocabulary woven through teaching of the different areas of learning. Most children acquire the skills they need. However, on occasion, staff do not step in as effectively as they might to draw children into purposeful conversations. This means a small number of opportunities are missed to deepen children’s learning and strengthen their communication skills further.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders make sure that early reading and phonics are a priority. Children are immersed in books and stories. For example, they complete activities based around fairy tales, such as 'The Three Little Pigs' through a range of practical, hands ‑ on experiences. Once children begin their Reception Year, they learn phonics straight away. Staff deliver this effectively. They help children learn the sounds and letters they need to develop their early reading and writing skills. There are planned opportunities for children to practise and consolidate their learning throughout the school day. Targeted support helps children who need additional help. As a result, children typically make a strong start to their learning. They are well prepared for Year 1 and beyond.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Staff are approachable and are a constant source of care and support for pupils and their families, including for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have recently strengthened the way that they and staff identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Stronger ways of working mean that pupils’ needs are accurately identified. Staff clearly identify, such as in individual plans for pupils, how to break down barriers to pupils' learning. Staff are increasingly effective at implementing these plans to ensure that pupils receive the support they need. The Willows special educational needs unit provides a safe and suitable learning environment for pupils who need a more individual support. These pupils progress well from their individual starting points due to leaders' well-considered curriculum and staff's expertise.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school actively engages with external agencies to secure the support that pupils require. Leaders communicate regularly and contribute fully to the learning of pupils who access some of their education elsewhere. They are highly committed to every pupil’s success.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Pupil premium funding is used thoughtfully to involve disadvantaged pupils in all aspects of school life. No pupil misses out on wider opportunities. The school’s work with vulnerable families is particularly impressive. Families are welcomed into school life. For example, families are warmly invited into school each week to cook meals together.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

School and trust leaders show real ambition for the school. They are proud of what the school does well but are equally ambitious for what it can become. Those responsible for governance also know the school well. They are fully invested in school life and share leaders’ aspirations. Governors and trustees skilfully balance the support and challenge they provide to school leaders.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have placed the school on a positive trajectory, with steady improvements being made. The necessary refinements and developments are being implemented to ensure that the school continues to improve in line with leaders’ ambitions. Leaders' work to develop the ‘Wells Hall Way’ is an example of recent refinements. This is having a clear impact on reducing low-level behaviours and supporting stronger attendance. Work on the curriculum and teaching is ongoing. For example, leaders recognise the need for greater consistency and for further improvements in pupils’ early reading achievement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The professional learning staff receive is comprehensive and well targeted. Teachers are being trained to teach in a clear and consistent way, with further training planned to strengthen this further. Staff appreciate the commitment to their development, but they also know that leaders care about their workload and wellbeing. This creates a cohesive and shared approach to improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Most welcome the caring nature of the school. They appreciate that they are a valued part of the school community.

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