Fairfields Primary School

Dear Parents/Carers, 

Following the school being inspected by Ofsted on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, we wanted to share with you some of the initial feedback we have received from inspectors. The full Ofsted report will be provided to us in the new year, which will then be published and made available to you, including the ratings we have received.  

We should start by saying how incredibly proud we are of the school. The inspectors commented on the ambition we have for all pupils to achieve, and that the pupils love the school and feel safe, happy and well cared for. 

Inspectors talked about our Core Values and stated that they didn’t meet one person in the school over the two days they visited who did not display the Core Values. One Inspector said that if they took a knife and cut the school in half, they would see the word “Respect” written there. They gave the examples of pupils talking about us all being unique and stated that one child responded with “We may not agree with someone, but we can respect them anyway”. 

The opportunities for pupils to develop their character through enrichment, clubs, Friday prayer, pupil leader roles, sporting activities, educational visits is something we should be proud of. We were described by inspectors as ‘Beacons of Personal Development’. They also noted all of the work we have done on bringing our community together during the pandemic. 

SEND provision and leadership was seen as strong, highlighting the work of our Inclusion Manager in developing plans for pupils and in working alongside teachers, noting the significant impact on pupils and their ability to succeed in lessons.   

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the inspectors commented on the ambition of staff working in the setting to ensure that pupils start school confidently. The teaching of early reading across the school was recognised as a strength. They saw this as an embedded system where staff delivering Read, Write, Inc being fantastically consistent in approach and in delivery.  They were impressed with the leadership of this and the gains it would bring later on in the school.  

Safeguarding was rigorous and effective. They noted the incredible work of Becky Thompson and Vicky Hopkins in keeping this alive in the school.  They also noted the exceptional work of the Terri in supporting vulnerable families and in making sure that they attend school.   

The deep dives in Mathematics, History, Art and Computing showed the journey we have been on with our curriculum. They saw good subject knowledge in both the leaders and the staff.    

Once we have taken a breath and received the final report, the school leadership team and our board of governors will reflect further on the findings, and set out plans on how we will build on the schools strengths in the years ahead. 

Overall, we are humbled by the devotion and commitment that our teachers, LSAs and all those working in our school show, and the overwhelming positive feedback we have received from pupils and you all in the surveys this week.  

As we continue on our journey to develop and deliver the best educational experience for all current and future pupils, we can achieve even more success together, by continuing to support each other as part of our Fairfields community.

Best wishes,

Kelly Dillon                                        Nick Giblin-Cook

Head Teacher                                   Chair of Governors