Pirehill First School, Stone

What it's like to be a pupil at Pirehill First School

Pupils arrive at this nurturing, child-focused school happily each day. They look forward to greeting their teachers, who they describe as kind and fun. Positive, appropriate relationships between staff and pupils help everyone to settle quickly and feel safe in school. Pupils trust that adults are there to help them and know that support will be offered promptly when needed. The school's worry boxes provide an additional, accessible way for pupils to share concerns, no matter how small, ensuring that every voice can be heard and valued. Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. The school has recently invested in new play equipment and resources after carefully considering pupils' views about improving playtimes. These additions, alongside a range of clubs, contribute to calm, enjoyable and safe playtimes where pupils can socialise positively and play together. Pupils say that bullying is not an issue at this school; like their teachers, they describe their peers as kind, respectful and fun. Pupils enjoy engaging with the learning opportunities provided. Teachers adapt lessons thoughtfully to ensure that all pupils receive the right level of support and challenge. This approach encourages pupils to take pride in their work, develop confidence, and strive for success. As a result, they achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. When they leave this child-centred first school, pupils do so with positive memories and a strong foundation for future learning. Leaders maintain a clear focus on inclusion and wellbeing, ensuring that every pupil is known as an individual. Parents and carers are kept well informed and value the school's open communication. Together, these strengths create a supportive community in which pupils flourish both academically and personally each day.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should continue to work with families to improve the attendance rates for the small number of pupils in school who are still absent too often so that the attendance figures for these pupils are reflective of the majority of pupils in school.
• Leaders should continue to develop pupils' resilience for learning so that engagement is consistently strong across all subjects, with effective adaptation and support that ensures that all pupils are increasingly well prepared for the next stage of education.
• Leaders should develop the effectiveness of formative assessment so that it provides more precise information about how well all groups of pupils understand, enabling teachers to adapt teaching accordingly.
• Leaders should ensure that gaps in foundational knowledge are consistently identified and addressed so that pupils with barriers to learning secure the skills needed to engage successfully with new learning.

Pirehill is a warm, nurturing school where children feel genuinely valued and safe. Staff know pupils well and provide the right support at the right time, helping all learners - including those with additional needs - to feel successful and make good progress. The school goes above and beyond by listening to pupils' ideas, investing in improvements like new play equipment, and supporting families through practical help like food and uniform banks.

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.

Lunchtime and after-school clubs, wellbeing sessions, school trips, buddy benches, prefect leadership roles, school council

Bus Stops