Schools & FE · Report card

Wembury Primary School

Inspected 31 Mar 2026 · published 8 Jun 2026 · URN 144896

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

James Gentile (lead), James Oldham, Sally Hannaford

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
31 Mar 2026
Inspectors verified
James Gentile, James Oldham, Sally Hannaford
Postcode verified
PL9 0EB
Name on report verified
Wembury Primary School
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
144896

Page 1 of 16

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.

+58Positivemore positive than 28% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisepositiveenjoyconsistentlyeffectivesecurefeel safehigh expectationseffectively

Criticismconcernsnot consistentlynot alwaysgapsstruggleerrorslimitednot rigorous

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1575w+61
Leadership253w+37
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve116w+71

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Leadership & governance29
“However, leaders’ checks on the impact of these actions are not always as robust as they could be.” p.4
Curriculum17
“Pupils benefit from an ambitious and well-planned curriculum.” p.2
Progress & outcomes13
“Pupils enjoy learning and typically achieve well.” p.5
Behaviour10
“School and trust leaders have high expectations of how pupils should behave.” p.2
Teaching & assessment9
“However, teachers’ use of assessment is not consistently as precise as it could be.” p.2
SEND & inclusion7
“The school is skilful in supporting positive behaviour for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.” p.2
Communication & language7
“Staff skilfully use their interactions with children to encourage children to use appropriate, subject-specific vocabulary.” p.3
Reading & phonics6
“The environment provides rich opportunities for children to develop their mathematical knowledge, their physical development and to develop a love of reading.” p.3

Anatomy of the report

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

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,995; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 49, typical 43
Average sentence: 15 words
Next steps: 5; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 8%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 52%Leadership 8%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 4%About the inspection 34%

Full report text

Wembury Primary School

Address: Knighton Road, Wembury, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 0EB Unique reference number (URN): 144896

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

On the whole, pupils achieve well. This is reflected by outcomes in national tests, which are generally in line with national averages. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils achieve well from their starting points. The quality of pupils’ work generally reflects the ambitions of school leaders. The impact of the curriculum is seen in pupils’ ability to recall what they have learned. For example, pupils can accurately place historical periods on a historical timeline demonstrating a knowledge of chronology. Pupils recall concepts and use complex subject specific language.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils develop the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful and ready for the next stage of their education. However, for some pupils, errors in their spelling, and handwriting are not consistently identified and addressed by staff. As a result, for these pupils, important gaps in their knowledge persist as they continue in their learning.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Generally, leaders have an accurate and informed view of pupils’ attendance as well as their behaviour and attitudes to learning. Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in rates of attendance that are in line with the national average. School leaders have created positive relationships with families to provide timely support where needed. Pupils who struggle to come to school are well supported to overcome barriers to regular attendance.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

School and trust leaders have high expectations of how pupils should behave. Most pupils rise to these expectations and generally behave well. Pupils themselves have a positive view of behaviour around the school and know that adults will support them if they have any concerns, such as in relation to bullying. Such instances are not tolerated. The school is skilful in supporting positive behaviour for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, not all staff implement the school’s behaviour policy consistently. Occasionally, low-level misbehaviour in lessons is not swiftly addressed. As a result, some pupils lose focus and do not progress as well as they should in their learning. Leaders’ monitoring of such incidents is not rigorous, preventing them from having clear oversight on the impact this has on pupils’ learning.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils benefit from an ambitious and well-planned curriculum. They build skills and knowledge progressively over time. School and trust leaders have an accurate view of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They have recently made some changes to strengthen the curriculum, with a focus on developing pupils’ spelling and handwriting.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, staff have secure subject knowledge and teaching is effective. Pupils learn the skills they need to be able to read unfamiliar words accurately. Those pupils who struggle with their reading are identified early and are helped quickly and effectively, enabling them to keep up with their peers. The work that pupils complete is generally well matched to their age and stage. In the wider curriculum, activities are planned that engage pupils’ imagination and build their vocabulary. For example, in Year 2, pupils learn how germs spread through a hands-on experiment while using subject specific language. Generally, pupils’ work shows improvement over time. However, teachers’ use of assessment is not consistently as precise as it could be. Sometimes, pupils’ misconceptions are not identified or staff do not adapt learning to address these. As a result, some pupils continue in their learning with gaps in their

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

knowledge or complete activities that are not well matched to what pupils already know.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the early years is prioritised, helping children get off to a positive start at school. The school’s early years curriculum is well designed. Staff teach it effectively. They use the environment to promote all aspects of children’s learning, with a particular focus on developing their use of language and vocabulary. The environment provides rich opportunities for children to develop their mathematical knowledge, their physical development and to develop a love of reading.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Staff skilfully use their interactions with children to encourage children to use appropriate, subject-specific vocabulary. For example, children use words such as ‘glide’ to describe movement during their activities. Teachers respond well to the individual needs of the children. For instance, staff identify those children who need extra support to develop their handwriting skills and put this in place.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Children develop positive attitudes to learning and show sustained levels of attention. They quickly learn the social skills needed to cooperate and share resources fairly, such as when using construction blocks to build together.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Reading is prioritised in the Reception year. Children secure the phonics knowledge that they need to read accurately. They read books which match the sounds that they are learning. This helps children in the early years to be well prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Staff are swift to identify those pupils who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as well as pupils who are disadvantaged. Leaders and the school's SEND team have an accurate understanding of any barriers that pupils may face and help pupils to overcome these. When required, leaders work with external agencies and providers of alternative provision to secure pupils the help that they need.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Recently, school leaders have raised the expectations for pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged. They have provided training for staff to support them in adapting teaching for these pupils. On the whole, these adaptations reduce barriers to pupils’ learning and support pupils with SEND to make secure progress from their starting points. School leaders regularly monitor the progress of these pupils. They work with staff to make further adjustments to the provision that pupils receive where necessary. The school provides effective support for disadvantaged pupils through its use of the pupil premium grant. Leaders have analysed carefully the barriers to education that disadvantaged pupils at the school face, implementing initiatives to remove these and improve pupils' achievement. For example, the school has acted to strengthen pupils’ communication and language skills and their reading fluency, improving pupils’ access to the

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

School and trust leaders have a clear understanding of the context of the school and the needs of its community. The decisions they make are in the best interests of the pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities or pupils who are disadvantaged. Leaders know the school’s strengths and the areas for development. They recognise that outcomes for pupils can be further improved by raising the aspirations of all staff. Leaders have implemented a series of initiatives to ensure all pupils achieve as well as they can. However, leaders’ checks on the impact of these actions are not always as robust as they could be. This means the speed and extent of some of the changes do not always match leaders’ aspirations.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those with responsibility for governance have appropriate knowledge and skills for their roles. They bring a range of experience from their varied professional backgrounds. Processes to challenge and support school leaders are generally robust. The trust ensures that the school meets its statutory duties, which supports pupils to stay safe and achieve well.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including from the trust, support staff well. Staff benefit from established networks that support them with their professional development. For example, teachers regularly work with colleagues from across the trust to share effective practice and deepen their subject knowledge. Staff know that leaders are considerate of their workload and wellbeing.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents are generally positive about their child’s experience at Wembury primary school. They appreciate the school’s nurturing and caring atmosphere that the staff create.

p.4