ST Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School has received a glowing Ofsted report following a recent inspection.

Ofsted inspector, Neil Dixon, commented on the school’s ‘broad and well-balanced’ curriculum and ‘effective’ safeguarding measures. He added that ‘pupils are cheerful, well-mannered and welcoming to visitors.’

After visiting the Hartford school on September 19 of this year, Mr Dixon said: "The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection, and has ensured that the school continues to improve."

The report also noted that the school’s staff have worked hard since the last inspection in October 2012. There has been a ‘marked improvement’ both in Key Stage 1 attainment and Year 6 maths results, the school now makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and a new outdoor ‘forest school’ area has been introduced, which reception pupils particularly benefit from.

Since 2012, there has been an ‘overhaul’ of the school’s assessment systems and provisional data for 2017 shows that Year 6 pupils’ attainment has risen to be back in line with other schools nationally.

There is still work to be done, however. Improving writing attainment and progress for Key Stage 2 pupils remains the school’s highest priority.

Mr Dixon said: "An initial attempt to improve standards through increasing staff ratios met with little success, and leaders and governors bravely decided to re-evaluate the situation and try another approach. There are signs that this is having a positive impact."

Mr Dixon also advised that staff must ensure their expectations of pupils’ written work are consistently high, particularly for the most able pupils.