‘The Weldon Way’ builds foundations for future learning at Weldon C of E Primary

Children, staff and families at Weldon Church of England Primary School, part of the Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (PDET), are celebrating after Ofsted praised the school’s caring culture, positive behaviour and ambitious curriculum after a recent inspection.

The school’s inspectorate described pupils as polite, considerate and confident learners who “enjoy coming to school and taking part in lessons”. Inspectors also highlighted the positive impact of the “Weldon Way”, which they said shapes pupils’ behaviour each day and helps create a calm, respectful and supportive school environment.

Overall, the school was judged as delivering the ‘expected standard’ of education across every inspection area, representing provision that is consistently up to a high standard as per the new framework.

Lesley Middleton, Principal at Weldon CE Primary School, said: “We are very pleased that Ofsted has recognised so many of the strengths that make Weldon such a special place to learn and grow. Our children are at the heart of everything we do and the inspectors saw pupils who are happy, polite, engaged in their learning and proud to be part of our school community. This report reflects the dedication of our staff, the support of our families and the overwhelmingly positive attitude of our pupils.”

Following their visit to the school in April, as part of a full inspection under Ofsted’s renewed inspection framework, inspectors praised the school’s ambitious curriculum, noting that leaders have designed learning to help pupils build the foundations they need for the future. Inspectors found that pupils develop key skills in reading, writing and mathematics, with new systems for reading and problem-solving in maths already having a positive impact on academic outcomes.

By Year 6, pupils’ outcomes are generally in line with, or stronger than, pupils nationally, and the report states that pupils are well prepared socially and emotionally for their next steps. The published data within the report also shows that the school’s latest three-year average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was 77%, compared with a national average of 61%.

The early years provision was also praised. Inspectors described the environment as well-resourced and carefully designed to support children’s emotional wellbeing, safety and early development. They noted that children make secure progress, develop confidence and independence while benefiting from calm routines, positive relationships and high-quality adult interactions.

Other strengths highlighted in the report include:

• Pupils behave well, build positive relationships and show respectful attitudes towards adults and each other.

• Staff know pupils well and support those who need extra help, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

• Attendance is managed carefully, with leaders working closely with families to understand and remove barriers.

• Pupils learn how to manage emotions, stay safe online and understand real-world risks.

• Parents describe Weldon as having a family ethos and as a kind, caring place where children feel safe.

• Staff morale is high, with staff feeling supported and confident in leadership decisions.

Safeguarding was also confirmed as effective, with inspectors stating that leaders and those responsible for governance have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed.

The report also recognised the role of the trust and governance in supporting and challenging the school, with regular information used to review standards, safeguarding and staff wellbeing.

Ruth Walker-Green, CEO of PDET, said: “This report is a reflection of Weldon CE Primary School’s caring ethos, strong relationships and commitment to helping every child flourish.

“We’re delighted that inspectors recognised the school’s inclusive culture, the confidence and positive attitudes of pupils and the commitment of staff and leaders. Lesley and the team have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and next steps and PDET will continue to support them as they build on this outcome and further strengthen provision for every pupil.”

As next steps, some parts of school life were identified as areas where existing strengths can be built on, such as developing handwriting and supporting pupil understanding of British Values. These areas were acknowledged by inspectors as already in progress.

Mrs Middleton added: “We’re proud of this report, but most importantly we’re proud of our children. They showed inspectors what we see every day: kindness, curiosity, resilience and a real sense of belonging. We look forward to continuing our work together as a school family and building on this positive foundation.”

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