Wheatfield Primary School

Wheatfield Primary School

Address: Wheatfield Drive, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, BS32 9DB Unique reference number (URN): 149999

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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.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

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

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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.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

School leaders are relentless in their approach to improving attendance for all pupils. Regular and rigorous reviewing of attendance data and any barriers pupils might face to attending school are swiftly addressed. Leaders have developed positive relationships with parents and carers which have led to improvements in rates of attendance, especially for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils learn the importance of positive attendance and this is celebrated in weekly assemblies.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Across the school, there are high expectations of how pupils should behave. Pupils rise to these expectations. This means pupils are consistently polite and kind to one another. Incidents of bullying and low-level behaviour are rare. If they occur, pupils know that staff will support them. In lessons, pupils demonstrate self-discipline and dedication to their learning. Materials to support learning are readily available to pupils, which helps them to be independent learners. In the playground, pupils welcome their friends to join in with games. For those pupils who need individualised support with their behaviour, adaptations are made while maintaining the highest of expectations of how pupils should behave.

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Achievement Expected standard

On the whole, most pupils are ready for the next stage of their education. This is reflected in published outcomes which are generally above national averages. Leaders have identified that further work is needed to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and to increase the number of pupils achieving greater depth in writing. Leaders have raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. This is reflected in the quality of pupils’ work and in their subject knowledge. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities progress well from their starting points.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are proud of their learning. They benefit from opportunities to recap and recall their knowledge. For example, pupils use their knowledge of noun phrases to enhance their writing. In the wider curriculum, pupils' art work demonstrates high expectations, creativity and clear progression over time. Pupils can explain different artistic techniques and styles from what they have learned about Kandinsky and Henri Rousseau.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

School and trust leaders have an accurate and informed view of the quality of education and teaching. The school’s curriculum is well planned and rich in knowledge. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access the curriculum in line with their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is generally effective. Teachers bring learning alive for pupils and capture their imagination. Most teachers have the subject knowledge they need to support pupils in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that reading is a priority. The teaching of phonics is effective and pupils are generally well supported by staff. This means pupils build the skills they need to decode unfamiliar words using their phonics knowledge. School leaders have also raised expectations of handwriting. As a result, pupils' writing is improving, especially for those pupils in key stage 1.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Throughout the school there are agreed methods for assessing pupils’ understanding. In some classes there is also effective questioning by teachers that deepens pupils' thinking and understanding. However, the assessment of pupils’ understanding is variable. As a result, some teachers do not always gain sufficiently precise information about whether pupils have secured key knowledge. This means that learning activities are not always adapted as necessary to ensure pupils complete work that reflects what they are capable of.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years get off to a positive start. The curriculum prioritises reading, writing, number and language development. This has supported the majority of children to develop appropriate pencil grip and write with accuracy from a young age. As a result, most children are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Early years Expected standard

Teaching in the early years is effective. Most staff have the subject knowledge they need to model learning to children. Children are excited to learn. They engage in a wide range of activities that teachers plan for them. This includes developing their fine and gross motor skills in the classroom's outdoor wood work area. Children enjoy opportunities to dress up and act out scenes from stories and nursery rhymes that they are learning. However, at times the questions that staff ask children do not always support children to deepen their learning. Activities are not always adapted sufficiently to help children build on what they already know. This means that some children lose interest quickly or do not deepen their knowledge as well as they could.

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Inclusion Expected standard

School leaders have high expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and for those who are disadvantaged. Staff are skilled at quickly identifying and assessing pupils’ needs, regardless of when pupils start at the school. Staff are committed to building positive relationships with families from the moment they know children are attending the school. Leaders provide training for staff that equips them with the skills to support pupils to overcome any barriers to learning. This means pupils’ individual needs are known and carefully planned for.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school has a range of embedded systems and strategies to support pupils with SEND and those pupils who are disadvantaged. This means that these pupils generally progress well from their starting points. However, the monitoring of some of these systems is still developing. School leaders do not always identify if adaptions to learning are as appropriate as they could be. This means that the work that some pupils complete is not always adapted precisely. Leaders have raised the expectations for pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium. The school has identified how these pupils are best supported, which includes enrichment activities as well as academic support. Close oversight and support from the trust ensures this aspect of the school's work on inclusion remains a priority.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. Trust leaders and governors understand the school’s strengths and areas for development. They have worked to support the school leaders' ambitious vision of improving outcomes for all pupils, while ensuring the wellbeing of pupils underpins the actions of leaders. As a result, most pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

School and trust leaders have appropriately identified that further work is needed to improve the outcomes for pupils who are disadvantaged and pupils with high academic starting points. Leaders are still developing strategies to monitor the impact of their work. However, the trust is supporting the school with targeted professional development and specialist support. Trustees and governors ensure the school fulfils its statutory duties to keep pupils safe.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and staff are role models of high expectations and professionalism. Staff are proud to work at the school and are highly supportive of school leaders. Staff appreciate the wide range of professional development on offer, including collaborating with colleagues from across the trust. Staff say their workload and wellbeing are considered when leaders make decisions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Many parents are supportive of the school. They say that staff are friendly and help parents and carers to feel that they are part of a caring community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development and wellbeing offers a broad range of opportunities that develop pupils' character, talents and interests. Pupils articulate how their school values support them to understand the importance of respect and tolerance for all. Pupils are highly respectful of difference and of people who lead lives different from their own. They are especially proud of the diversity of the school’s community. Pupils also learn about fundamental British values and concepts such as consent and protected characteristics. However, teachers’ checks on pupils' understanding are sometimes variable, which means that some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge which are not always swiftly addressed.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides pupils with a wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities, such as sporting, drama and chess club. These opportunities support pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils talk positively about the trips that are linked to what they learn in class. For example, visits to the museum supports pupils to deepen their knowledge about the Roman Empire. Whereas visits to a local river support pupils' geographical understanding with first-hand experiences. Pupils also benefit from residential visits which help pupils to develop independence and resilience. Because school leaders are ambitious for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, they track participation and support those who might benefit most from regular participation in these experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils also benefit from competing in a range of local and national competitions, such as netball, mathematics and multi-sports. Pupils have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, such as the violin and the drums. Performances to parents help pupils to build confidence and celebrate their achievements.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a wide range of visitors to the school. These include authors who help bring stories alive, as well as celebrities who have an in-depth knowledge of dinosaurs.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are proud to attend this inclusive school at the heart of its community. Staff have high expectations of pupils, including pupils who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff support pupils to achieve well academically, while also ensuring that pupils are happy and feel safe. This means that the majority of pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy learning and attend well. They are greeted each morning by staff who know them well. Pupils and staff have warm and positive relationships. This supports pupils to be confident in knowing that staff will help them if they need any support.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The behaviour of pupils is a strength of the school. They know what is expected of them and live out the school’s values of ‘Lead with kindness, respect, responsibility and resilience’. Classrooms are calm and focused learning environments. Pupils are consistently kind and polite to one another. Routines and expectations, such as the ‘Wheatfield walk’, are embedded in the school to support pupils to behave well. Older pupils recognise that they are role models to younger pupils and wear their ‘Wheatfield Leader’ jumper with pride. The school’s weekly celebration assembly provides an opportunity to celebrate those pupils who stand out as upholding the school values.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The curriculum is planned to bring learning to life with off-site visits. These begin in Reception Year with children visiting the local library. Older pupils enjoy the residential ‘camp’ experience. Pupils learn to stay safe online and in the community. Pupils also benefit from the outdoor learning area and the allotment where pupils learn to develop a love of the outdoors.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that assessment is used consistently well to support teachers to design learning activities that build on what pupils know and can do. Leaders should check the impact of their actions more precisely to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities consistently thrive and achieve the highest possible outcomes across the curriculum.

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Team inspectors:

Sean McKeown, Ofsted Inspector Richard Light, His Majesty's Inspector Lizzie Lethbridge, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place. Leaders should support pupils to further deepen the knowledge they learn from the personal development curriculum and to retain this knowledge successfully over time.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the Leaf Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Ross Newman, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Margaret Simmons-Bird.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Rachel Hynam.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, subject leaders, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator team, the CEO, trustees and governors.

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About this inspection

The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View and by talking with parents and carers. The inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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About this inspection

There is a before- and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of two unregistered alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Wendy Carver This data is from 12 May 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 66% 61% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 57% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.1% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.3% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 11.5% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 12.1% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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