Great Wishford CofE Primary School was rated ‘good’ in its latest inspection across all criteria: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision.
Under a new headteacher, Hannah Shillito, this is a great achievement for the school after its previous inspection in 2022 which rated it as ‘requires improvement’.
READ MORE: Salisbury Symphony Orchestra’s concert at St Thomas’s Church
After an inspection on December 3 and 4, 2024, inspector Caroline Musty found that Great Wishford is “a small school with a big heart”, a place where pupils feel “happy and safe” and have “positive relationships” with each other and with staff.
The school is commended for its availability of after school clubs, including musical theatre, gymnastics and football, and a drama club for older pupils.
The report adds: “pupils organise and host events for the local community to raise money for national charities. This helps pupils to develop a sense of belonging and responsibility.”
Great Wishford Primary (Image: Great Wishford Primary)
The school is “ambitious” for pupils to achieve highly, the inspector found, for example through a “well sequenced” phonics programme and staff are said to have an “accurate” understanding of the needs of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) pupils.
In the report, pupils are said to read a “diverse” range of texts, that “teach them about qualities such as perseverance, service and respect, which “supports pupils to deepen their knowledge of the wider world and the lives of others.”
Behavioural expectations are high, and the school’s environment is complimented by the inspector as “calm and orderly”.
During breaktimes, the inspector observed that: “pupils play well together across year groups. Older pupils support younger pupils to have a happy playtime”.
Headteacher Mrs Hannah Shillito said: “I am thrilled to share the outcome of our recent Ofsted inspection from December which has graded our school ‘good’ in all areas. This achievement is thanks to the dedication and support of our staff, children, parents, and governors.
“Their hard work and support make our school a special place, which was evident to the inspectors, who wrote that we are ‘a small school with a big heart’.”