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# Clifford Road Primary School 'requires improvement' as rating downgraded by Ofsted
- URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/clifford-road-primary-school-requires-improvement-as-rating-downgraded-by-ofsted/
- Published: 2025-01-15T12:02:20.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-16T15:25:31.000Z
- Description: Clifford Road Primary School in Ipswich 'requires improvement' across all areas according to its latest Ofsted inspection, dropping from its previous 'good' rating.
- Author: Oliver Rouane-Williams
- Tags: News, Primary Education, #article, Clifford Road Primary School & Nursery, #Import 2026-03-16 14:45

**Why it matters:** The inspection, carried out on 26 and 27 November 2024, marks a significant change for the school, which was previously rated 'good' in January 2014 and again in a short inspection in July 2019.

**The big picture:** The school, which has 436 pupils aged 3 to 11, was assessed across five key areas – all of which require improvement:

- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
- Early years provision

![Clifford Road Primary School in Ipswich](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/03/1736942404-clifford-road-primary-school-and-nursery-1.jpg)

Clifford Road Primary School in Ipswich 'requires improvement' across all areas, according to its latest Ofsted inspection Photo: Oliver Rouane-Williams (Ipswich.co.uk)

**Key shortcomings:** The report found that:

- Teachers lack clarity on curriculum sequencing, leading to gaps in pupils' knowledge
- Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) needs more rigour
- New behaviour expectations are not consistently applied
- Early years pupils need more opportunities to practice writing skills
- Some pupils struggle with behaviour during lessons and social times

**Yes, but:** The inspection also highlighted some positives:

- Pupils enjoy coming to school
- Staff feel supported by new leadership
- The school offers varied extracurricular activities, including sports, choir and music
- Safeguarding arrangements are effective

**What's next:** The school has appointed a new headteacher, Cieran Dadds, who joined in September 2024\. Early changes to mathematics and reading are showing "green shoots of improvement," according to inspectors.

**The bottom line:** While facing challenges across multiple areas, the school has begun implementing changes under new leadership and has effective safeguarding measures in place.

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