Schools & FE · Report card

Fawbert and Barnard's Primary School

Inspected 14 Jul 2026 · published 8 Oct 2026 · URN 144663

Original PDF ↗

Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Mark Carter-Tufnell (lead), Nicola Shadbolt, Sarah Fowler

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

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
14 Jul 2026
Inspectors verified
Mark Carter-Tufnell, Nicola Shadbolt, Sarah Fowler
Postcode verified
CM17 0DA
Name on report verified
Fawbert and Barnard's Primary School
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
144663

Page 1 of 16

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

positive

Inspectors found an academy that is improving well, with safe pupils, good attendance and a clear focus on reading.

Pupils typically achieve well, and attendance is consistently above national averages. Safeguarding standards are met and behaviour is calm and orderly. Teaching does not always match work to what pupils can do, and a sizeable minority of parents and carers remain dissatisfied with the school.

Going well

Safeguarding standards are met and pupils feel safe
Attendance is consistently above national averages
Behaviour is calm and orderly across the school
Reading is a high priority and most pupils become confident readers

To improve

Teachers should give pupils work that matches what they know and can do
Improve communication and engagement with parents and carers
Strengthen pupils' understanding of democracy, liberty and different beliefs and cultures

Summary written by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the report text. It can miss nuance: the report itself is the record.

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.

+65Positivemore positive than 36% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseeffectivelypositiveeffectiveconsistentlystrongambitioussupportiveclear

Criticismconcernsat riskdisruptionnot consistentlypersistently absentgapsharmbelow

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

Findings1595w+62
Leadership243w+79
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve62w+66

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

This helps them to quickly identify pupils at risk of becoming persistently absent. p.2

Next steps

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

What the report dwells on

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

Anatomy of the report

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

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,951; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 42, typical 43
Average sentence: 13 words
Next steps: 2; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 5%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 54%Leadership 8%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 34%

Full report text

Fawbert and Barnard's Primary School

Address: London Road, Old Harlow, Essex, CM17 0DA Unique reference number (URN): 144663

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 typically achieve well. Younger pupils acquire the knowledge and skills they need for later learning. National tests and assessments show that the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 is close to the national average.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally achieve well from their starting points. Staff provide tailored support that helps them make progress and become more independent. The school prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Overall, pupils achieve well across the curriculum and different year groups. This is reflected in the quality of their work. Typically, pupils make connections between their learning and apply their knowledge well. For example, in Year 4, pupils confidently write non- chronological reports drawing on their learning about ancient Egypt. Pupils do not learn as well where improvements to the curriculum are still being embedded.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is consistently above national averages. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders regularly analyse attendance data to recognise emerging patterns. This helps them to quickly identify pupils at risk of becoming persistently absent. Leaders work closely with families so that they understand and value the benefits of attendance. Through these partnerships, leaders remove barriers to good attendance.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established clear expectations for behaviour. Staff apply behaviour systems consistently. Pupils understand these expectations and systems. Across the school, behaviour is calm and orderly. Classrooms are purposeful and focused. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They listen attentively, follow routines and engage well in lessons. Pupils relate well to each other during social times. Staff build positive and respectful relationships with pupils. Pupils are safe and bullying is rare. When incidents of unkind behaviour do occur, staff and leaders address any issues quickly and effectively. Leaders monitor behaviour carefully. They use this information well to identify and address emerging concerns. Staff support pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, effectively through a range of strategies that help them access learning successfully alongside their peers. As a result, disruption to learning is uncommon.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Soon after the school joined the trust, leaders identified the need to improve the curriculum and the school's approach to teaching. They took swift action to address this. The curriculum is broad and well organised across all subjects. Leaders ensure that reading is a high priority. Teachers deliver the school's phonics programme well. Staff help any pupils who need additional support to catch up quickly. As a result, most pupils become confident readers.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide coaching and support for teachers. This focuses on clear, evidence- informed approaches to effective teaching methods. As a result, teachers generally use their accurate subject knowledge to provide clear explanations and design appropriate activities that support pupils' learning. Teachers do not consistently give pupils work that matches what they know and can do. This is because their checks on learning sometimes do not identify precisely and accurately how well pupils learn. As a result, some pupils do not make the progress they are capable of. This is particularly the case for the small proportion of pupils who are working just below the standards expected for their age, and those pupils who are already achieving well but could produce work of a high standard. Teachers do generally make suitable adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that they can access the curriculum successfully/

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders place a strong emphasis on the early years. Children receive a positive start to their education. Leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths of the provision. They identify appropriate priorities for further improvement.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum which identifies the essential knowledge and skills that children are expected to learn. Learning is sequenced effectively so that children build on prior experiences and develop increasing confidence and independence over time.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Story time, rhymes and songs form a regular part of life in the early years classroom. Children join in with confidence and enthusiasm. These experiences help to develop children's vocabulary and foster a love of learning. Leaders design the learning environment carefully. Indoor and outdoor spaces provide rich opportunities for children to learn and play. High-quality interactions and targeted teaching develop children's knowledge across the curriculum. During the inspection, children engaged deeply in exploring which objects float and sink, linked to a story they had recently read.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Children develop secure knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. They increasingly apply these independently. By the end of Reception, most children use their phonics knowledge to read accurately and with increasing fluency. As a result, most children are well prepared for learning in Year 1.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders, including those in the trust, have strengthened the strategic leadership of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have improved systems to identify pupils with SEND effectively. They ensure that more pupils with SEND get the help they need in a timely manner.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of pupils with SEND. Leaders track pupils’ progress closely. They use this information to adjust targets and inform future teaching for pupils with SEND. Leaders also use it to check that the funding allocated to disadvantaged pupils is having the intended impact. Pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged make secure progress from their starting points, in learning and in their personal development.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Staff receive appropriate training, including in autism and English and mathematics interventions. This enables them to usually make effective adaptations for pupils who need additional support. Staff support pupils to remain in class and access the curriculum alongside their peers. This helps to prevent any gaps in learning from widening.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Through improved communication and responsive support, leaders work constructively with parents and carers to build confidence in provision for pupils with SEND. Some parents report that their children do not receive the support they need. Nevertheless, staff typically meet the needs of pupils with SEND in the classroom.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

School leaders, trust leaders and trustees share a clear and ambitious vision for the school. Leaders in the trust have provided effective support through recent changes in leadership and staffing. They have established an inclusive culture in which pupils' wellbeing and achievement are prioritised. Leaders at all levels work collaboratively and maintain a sharp focus on the school’s improvement priorities. Staff are typically supportive of school leaders.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Since joining the trust, leaders have acted decisively to improve key aspects of the school’s work. Effective changes have been made to systems and processes, including those relating to behaviour and provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Trust leaders provide an appropriate balance of challenge and support. They enable school leaders to identify priorities accurately and implement improvement strategies effectively. Trustees and governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities appropriately. They hold leaders to account for the quality of provision while remaining supportive of the school’s ongoing improvement journey.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Professional development is prioritised and supports staff in developing their subject knowledge and classroom practice. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and wellbeing. They consider these carefully when introducing new initiatives and systems.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

A sizeable minority of parents and carers remain dissatisfied with the school. This reflects a period of significant change in leadership and staffing. Trust and school leaders recognise the need to strengthen communication and engagement with parents and carers so that they have greater confidence in the school’s work and the improvements made.

p.4