Kind words & feedback from our parents and community

We aim to be a second family to our children and want to work in partnership with parents and others in the community to achieve the best for our children. We are fortunate to receive generous comments from many in our community and selected examples are recorded below. It means a great deal to all of us when people take the time to send us kind messages.

Results of our parent questionnaire from October 2026 are available below.

Kind words from parents, visitors and friends

  • Dear Mr Green, Many thanks to you and your colleagues for the wonderful welcome back to Mugginton this month. ??? is delighted to be back - and the coffee van was a remarkable treat!

  • My child is so happy and settled. The school has been amazing and there have been so many transition activities prior to my child starting. My child wants to come every day happily. We have so much amazing information from the school and Mrs Wallen is a super star! Thank you. The best school ever!

  • Dear Mr Green and all staff, Just a huge Thank you, my children have arrived home and to quote, ‘Mummy that was the best day ever.’ Thank you for making their return to school so easy

  • Another week passed another thank you to everyone for their constant enthusiasm and support. For ???, another week of engaging lessons and amazing feedback from teachers, who are ensuring our children are constantly motivated. Have a super weekend

  • everything you are doing at Mugginton is everything you could be doing & more. You clearly care about the children you teach & want to help your families get through this difficult time. You offer everyone the chance to feedback every week, in person. Again, I don't know any other school offering this. I'm proud to be part of your community & you should all be very proud of everything you are doing.

  • I was gutted that ??? did not complete his full last term at Mugginton & have his Y6 residential, sports day, trips etc but he was so much more ready for the independence of the homework at ecclesbourne, having had to manage & organise his own home learning from the blog during lockdown. That was because of you & your staff.

  • It was fantastic to hear ??? speak so positively about his school life and his learning. We really do appreciate the time and support you give him, his positive attitude is a testament to his growing confidence.

  • Hi, Thank you so much for your lovely reassuring email. Such a lovely school and really great atmosphere.

  • For me, the biggest strengths of the school are the inclusivity and the support that the children receive, not just from the teachers but also from their classmates. There is a real family feel throughout the school, where children are encouraged to support one another and feel part of something. The extra-curricular activities are also a real positive, giving the children the opportunity to build friendships, develop socially and enjoy being part of a team, whilst still having that competitive element. Overall, it feels like a school that cares about the children as individuals and wants them to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

  • Your phenomenal efforts to meet, in bucketloads, the varied needs of the children at Mugginton is just outstanding. Thank you to you & your super team for going above and beyond.

  • In the chaos that has been all of our lives over the last year or so, Mugginton is like a beacon of hope and a ray of sunshine!

  • watching these bulbs grow will be a pleasure as well as a constant reminder of your kind AND THOUGHTFUL WAYS. Long may you continue to be a very special and successful part of our community

  • Thanks so much for sending this through, we really appreciate it and it's so so good to see how good her work is. Have to say that looks like she has come on a lot.

  • I just wanted to say thank you for our very reassuring chat this morning. Not that we have had any concerns since ??? has joined Mugginton! She is extremely happy. We can see that you have got to know her.

  • You are amazing teachers and create the most healthy environment for kids to grow. Thanks for all your energy and creativity.

  • thank you so much for all your hard work and the joy you bring to the children. You are like a second family to ??? and we are so grateful for your efforts.

  • Kindness, inclusion, support and encouragement regardless of ability. Amazing opportunities I know wouldn’t happen elsewhere, I love how every person is recognised as an individual and not just a number, I also love the way staff and children support the child who’s last in the race, no one is ever put down.

  • Very caring nurturing environment. My child feels seen and understood. There are a range of activities offered for every type of child such as sport events, visits and music. This also helps to create a sense of belonging and community. My child has good relationships with every member of staff. The SEN support that my child has received has enabled good progress and has had a positive impact on their self-esteem and confidence. If we have had any issues or concerns they have been dealt with swiftly and effectively.

  • Making meaningful childhood memories that my children will cherish for a lifetime. They are a family and my children definitely feel that they are a part of everything and are valued.

Parent Questionnaire October 2026

Celebrating Our Community: Autumn Parent Questionnaire Results

At Mugginton Church of England Primary School, we believe that strong partnerships with parents and families are the heartbeat of everything we do. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our October parent questionnaire. Your voice matters to us as we continue to do all we can to provide an exceptional experience for every child.

We are absolutely thrilled to share the feedback from this October 2026 questionnaire, which reflects an overwhelmingly positive picture of school life. These are important findings for us because they concern the foundations of an effective school: children feeling safe, happy, cared for and ready to learn.

Headlines:

  • 98% of parents agree that their child is happy at school.

  • 98% of parents agree that their child feels safe and well-cared for at school.

  • 100% agree that the school promotes positive behaviour, acts in children's best interests, and provides wonderful support for learning.

  • 98% of parents agree that school acts in their child’s best interests.

  • 98% of families state they would ‘definitely’ recommend Mugginton to another parent.

What we love about Mugginton

Our parents’ generous comments (see below) painted a vivid picture of what makes Mugginton such a special place. Parents frequently highlighted our unique family ethos, noting that children are known, valued, and nurtured as individuals rather than numbers (see comments at bottom of page).

The breadth of our outdoor learning, Forest Friday, music, and sports opportunities—coupled with a caring, approachable team—were celebrated as ‘life-changing’ aspects of our children's primary years.

Listening and Moving Forward

As a reflective school, we pay equally close attention to where we can improve. 5 parents (11% of the total) told us that while you love our events and sports, you would benefit from earlier notice and better advance planning for calendar dates and sports fixtures, as well as an even wider variety of non-football activities.

In response, we are already working on:

  • Sharing the calendar on our school website and the key dates listed at the bottom of each newsletter more clearly to help families plan.

  • Expanding our extra-curricular menu to include a richer balance of creative, arts, and alternative physical clubs.

Thank you once again for your continued support, warmth, and partnership. Together, we make Mugginton a magical place to learn and grow!

Analysis of Mugginton Parent Questionnaire
October 2026

Overall conclusion

Staff and governors are thrilled with the feedback received from the October 2026 parent questionnaire. Overall, the results present an extremely positive picture of Mugginton CE Primary – what we, staff, see every day. We are delighted that there is such strong evidence of parental confidence in our children's happiness, safety, inclusion, individual support and the school's distinctive family ethos.

Parents told us that they value the fact Mugginton is not simply as a place where children learn, it is a community where children/families are known as individuals, feel that they belong and have the best opportunity to thrive.

There is one area for improvement mentioned in approximately 5 (11%) of responses: communication with parents, particularly the notice given for certain events, trips and sporting activities. Mugginton will always engage with feedback and a follow up request for feedback focussed solely on communication will be sent out in November 2026.

The overall pattern is more informative than any single percentage: EVERY question received at least 90% positive responses, with the recommendation question also showing very strong endorsement.

 

Key conclusions from the data

Conclusion 1: Children's happiness, safety and wellbeing are major strengths

The results suggest that our parents have a very high level of confidence in children's day-to-day experience at Mugginton.

The written comments (see below) reinforce this. Parents repeatedly describe a caring, nurturing environment, positive relationships between pupils and staff, and children who are happy to attend school.

Implication for headteacher and governors: These findings provide strong evidence that the school's relational culture is a significant strength. It should be protected and reflected in school improvement planning and never taken for granted.

Conclusion 2: The school's family ethos and understanding of individual children are its defining strengths

This is arguably the most important qualitative finding.

Parents repeatedly refer to:

  • A family atmosphere and strong sense of community.

  • Staff knowing children well and understanding their individual needs.

  • Inclusion, kindness, encouragement and mutual respect.

  • Developing children's confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging.

  • A holistic approach to education that values the whole child.

  • Positive support for children with additional needs.

One parent describes children being recognised as individuals rather than numbers. Another explains that the support received has positively affected their child's progress, confidence and self-esteem.

These comments suggest that parents value not only what the school provides, but how it makes children feel about themselves and their place in the school community.

The responses also suggest that this ethos is experienced across different aspects of school life, including classroom learning, relationships, sport and extra-curricular activities.

Implication for headteacher and governors: The family ethos is a treasured asset which has developed and become established over years. As the school develops, leaders should monitor closely whether every child continues to feel known, valued and supported. One respondent explicitly worries that growth could make it harder for staff to know children individually. This is a concern to monitor, not evidence that the school has already lost that personal approach.

Conclusion 3: Parents value the breadth and distinctive character of the curriculum

The responses provide strong evidence that parents appreciate the school's offer beyond conventional classroom learning.

Repeated themes include:

  • Outdoor learning and Forest Friday.

  • Sport and physical activity.

  • Music, trips and experiences beyond school.

  • Learning through practical experiences.

  • Opportunities to build friendships, confidence and teamwork.

  • An emphasis on healthy lifestyles and personal development.

All 45 parents agreed or strongly agreed that children receive plenty of opportunities.

This is particularly significant because parents do not describe these activities merely as enjoyable additions. They connect them with confidence, social development, belonging and the creation of positive childhood memories.

Suggested future opportunities which school could offer include more arts, music, craft and literature opportunities, alongside a wider variety of sports and alternative PE activities.

Implication for the headteacher and governors: The extra-curricular offer is a clear strength and we will continue to consider whether it provides equally meaningful opportunities for children with different interests, abilities and preferences.

Conclusion 4: Communication is the clearest and most consistent improvement priority

Whilst positive, Communication is the lowest-rated of the ten main questions.

Agree or strongly agree

41 of 45 parents

91%

2 neutral (4.5%), 2 negative (4.5%)

The written comments give a clear explanation of what some parents would like to see improved:

  • More advance notice of school events and activities.

  • Earlier information about sporting events and trips.

  • More clarity around plans and timings.

  • More time to arrange family commitments around school activities.

Implication for headteacher and governors: This is likely the most achievable improvement with potential to make a meaningful difference to parent experience. A review of our communication processes could improve parental confidence without requiring change to the school's educational approach.

Practical actions we will consider:

  • Giving as much advance notice as possible for trips, fixtures, performances and special events.

  • Explaining more clearly that many events/sports fixtures are reliant on communication/confirmation from other schools – as a result it is not always possible to give significant advance notice to our parents.

  • Publishing a termly calendar with known dates.

  • Providing clear timings, arrangements and information about what parents need to do.

  • Reviewing how late changes are communicated.

  • Checking whether messages are reaching parents consistently and through the channels they use.

The goal will be to signpost clearly where dates are recorded (newsletter, school website) and to make communication more predictable and timely.

What do the written comments tell us that the percentages alone do not?

The qualitative responses are particularly valuable because they explain why parents value the school and where small improvements could have the greatest impact.

Relationships are central to the school's success

Parents repeatedly mention care, kindness, trust, individual attention and a family atmosphere. These are the most distinctive themes in the comments.

The school offers something distinctive

Outdoor learning, sport, music, trips and learning beyond the classroom are frequently praised. Parents see these as important to children's wider development, not simply as extras.

When parents were asked what we could do to improve the school, the most common response (18/31 responses, 58%) was ‘nothing’ or ‘keep everything the same’. The suggested improvements were practical rather than fundamental.

A copy of all the written responses is available here.

Our parents are not asking the school to change its identity or educational philosophy/values. Many explicitly ask the school to continue as it is. The improvement challenge for staff and governors is to refine the practical experience of families while protecting the qualities that make Mugginton so special.

Overall judgement

Our overall interpretation is that this is an extremely strong and reassuring set of parent feedback data, with a consistent pattern of confidence in children's wellbeing, relationships, inclusion, support and wider opportunities. Thank you.

The strongest message is that our parents believe Mugginton knows and cares for their children as individuals. The school's family ethos, nurturing relationships and distinctive opportunities appear to be central to this confidence.

Joseph Green

October 2026

Please see below for results of our Parent Consultation on the length of the school day at Mugginton.

 Please click here for the written comments which parents submitted as part of the consultation.