Primary school must improve: Ofsted report
BEXHILL’S biggest primary school has been told by Ofsted inspectors to make improvements to its teaching.
After its latest inpection, Little Common Primary School was listed as Requires Improvment.
In the four areas judged by Ofsted - Behaviour And Safety and Leadership And Management were judged as good - with Achievement Of Pupils and Quality Of Teaching judged as Requires Improvement.
A previous Ofsted inspection had rated the school as Good. Headteacher Linda Appleby told the Observer the drop in standards was largely down to more stingent criteria, adopted by Ofsted in September 2012.
The new criteria take into account what Mrs Appleby described as ‘data over time’ or the academic results of pupils over the years.
Mrs Appleby said: “Over the past five years our results have fluctuated in year six, which has resulted in us being judged as ‘requires improvement’. However, last year (2012) we had our highest percentage of pupils for five years achieving level four and above in both English and mathematics. This year, our pupils are on track to achieve well above national averages in English and mathematics by the end of year six.
“In Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 in 2012, our pupils achieved above national averages and the current good progress of these cohorts is expected to lead to even better results this summer.
“We are accelerating progress across the whole school, particularly for pupils vulnerable tounderachievement and for our most able pupils. We have also been developing teacher expertise in mathematics since May last year. Ofsted recognised the good progress we have already made in this, but an Ofsted judgement is based on the data from previous years.”
Ofsted inspectors recognised that ‘pupils’ progress is accelerating’, that ‘teams across the school are very focussed on improving teaching which is strengthening rapidly, and that the school is ‘a welcoming place where pupils feel very safe’.
Mrs Appleby said: “We had already identified these areas for development in our school improvement plan and are currently addressing them. We feel that our pupils’ achievements will very soon enable our school to be judged as good. However, good is not good enough for the pupils of Little Common School and together we are on a quest to be outstanding in the future.”
Chair of governors, Nick Wilkinson, said: ‘The report represents a realistic and accurate reflection of the school against the new challenging Ofsted framework. I am extremely pleased that a number of strengths were highlighted.
“It is now the role of the governing body to support Linda Appleby in continuing the journey to ensure that all pupils achieve their potential.”
• There will be a parents’ forum to discuss the Ofsted report on Tuesday at the school at 7.30pm. Staff and governors will be present.
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Weather for Bexhill-on-Sea
Monday 20 May 2013
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