Ofsted Praises “welcoming, caring and inclusive” Swindon school

A primary school in Swindon has been praised by Ofsted as “welcoming, caring and inclusive” following a successful inspection last month.

Ofsted confirmed that Goddard Park Community Primary School met the expected standard in all seven areas of its latest inspection.
Inspectors visited the Park North school last month, with their report showing children enjoy coming into school, are greeted by staff who know them well, and feel safe and valued.
Ofsted no longer issues single-word overall judgements. Schools are now assessed across a five-point scale from ‘exceptional’ to ‘urgent improvement’, with ‘expected standard’ the benchmark for a high-performing school, confirming the school is fulfilling the quality and standards expected of it.Head of School Jo Harding said: "Above all, I'm proud that inspectors saw how happy our children are.
“That comes from a staff team who know the child and their families, and who will always go the extra mile for them.
“Whether it's breakfast in the nest, help with getting to school or finding the right specialist support, we want families to know they can come to us.
"For some of our children, school is where they'll experience things for the first time such as staying away on a residential visit or watching a theatre show in London. We want every one of them to leave with those memories.
“Working alongside The White Horse Federation has already made a real difference, and we're looking forward to formally joining next month."
The report comes just a few weeks before Goddard Park formally joins The White Horse Federation in November.
The school and the trust have already been working closely together, and inspectors noted that the support, training and challenge from external improvement partners had added to school leaders' capacity to keep improving.
Pupils told inspectors their school is "...a welcoming, caring and inclusive place."
Behaviour is calm and orderly and children of different ages play happily together at break and lunchtime.
Support for families runs right through the report. Breakfast in the school's 'nest' helps many children feel connected from the start of the day.
Many parents and carers spoke warmly to inspectors about the care their families receive. Children with special educational needs and disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care are also well supported to take part in everything the school offers.
Inspectors praised outdoor learning, clubs, residential trips and the school council for adding to the pupil experience, while a community food-sharing initiative shows pupils what it means to give something back to their neighbourhood.
Dr Dan Nicholls, CEO of The White Horse Federation, said: "Goddard Park puts children and families first, and this report shows it.
"We've seen at first hand the energy Jo and her team bring and the ambitious decisions they've taken on the curriculum and on support for pupils.
“We're delighted to formally welcome Goddard Park into The White Horse Federation next month. We know we will achieve great things together as we work to ensure all children lead inspiring lives with greater opportunity and choice."