We visited a small north Shropshire village primary school where nature, nurture and learning come together

Ofsted inspectors visiting Lower Heath CofE Primary School in Prees began their most recent glowing report by describing it as a “warm and welcoming school" where staff develop "strong, nurturing relationships" with pupils. 

The small, rural school guided by Christian values of kindness, care and respect, is the term-time home to just 120 children.

Headteacher, Helen Reynolds: "It's a lovely little school, because of our size we know all of our children really well.

"And because of our size, we are able to nurture our children really personally, both academically and emotionally."

With an on-site nursery, many children start their journey at the school at just two years old and remain there throughout their primary years. 

For some, this means spending up to nine years in one nurturing environment, building deep and trusting relationships with staff and classmates.  

Ms Reynolds added: "We build those very firm foundations with families to get their learning right from a very young age." 

Despite the school's small size, children here are not short of opportunities or facilities to support both learning and personal development.

Allwood World, the school's dedicated woodland area, provides pupils with rich opportunities to explore the natural environment - helping them to develop confidence, curiosity and a sense of responsibility for the natural world around them.

The facility has become so well-regarded that it is now used by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust to deliver professional development for educators.

"We are very fortunate to have beautiful outdoor grounds that the children make the very best of," Ms Reyonds added.

"It's a very important part of the school week for our children, and our families feel the same." 

But it's the people inside the school that really makes this school special, the headteacher claims. 

"The staff team are incredibly nurturing and go above and beyond throughout day for our children," she said.

"Our families are present and supportive and our children give us joy every day."

Ms Reyonds said the school’s role goes beyond academic preparation, with a strong emphasis on helping to create secure, well-rounded individuals.

"We are both strong academically and we believe very strongly in creating strong citizens for the future. 

"We talk a lot about being kind, about faith, about resilience, and showing everyone respect."

A key part of this personalised approach is 'OneVoice' - a commitment from the school to listen closely to children.

It's something that is achieved by actively gathering children’s views on their learning, their wellbeing and their school environment, helping leaders and staff make meaningful changes that reflect the needs of their community.

"Lower Heath is a place where children thrive and we love to see them shine," Ms Heath added.