The staff and pupils at Oliver Tomkins Junior School are celebrating following publication of their latest Ofsted inspection which rates the school as Good in all areas.
Inspectors were particularly impressed with the efforts made at the Church of England Voluntary Aided School to build on the teachers' skills in the classroom, highlighting 'the relentless focus that has taken place on improving teaching and the impact that teachers’ performance has on pupil outcomes.'
Headteacher Rhian Cockwell, right, said: "We are overjoyed and very proud of that OFSTED has found us Good in all areas. It is a privilege to be a head teacher who is part of a team of pupils, staff, parents and governors that have consistently worked together and supported one another.
“We're particularly pleased that the inspectors note that 'Pupils learn well because their teachers encourage them not to give up quickly if they are faced with a problem. They persevere with trying to find an answer or discuss it with another classmate to find a solution.'"
Other positive areas identified in the report are:
'Classrooms are exciting places to learn where pupils are supported in their work with engagement which reflects the knowledge and skills they are learning. Expectations of behaviour and conduct are high; pupils are polite and courteous and respond quickly to instructions.'
'Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. Pupils concentrate well in lessons and are eager to learn.'
'Complacency and mediocrity are not options for teaching staff at this school.'
'The school’s recent focus on improving writing skills has made a discernible difference to pupil outcomes as well as the outcomes in mathematics which has also improved.'
One parent summed up the views of numerous others by explaining that ‘staff are very generous with their time…we drop our children off into classrooms and can see what they will be doing that day. This helps us support the school in the children’s learning’.
The report has highlighted some areas to continue improving, saying: 'The school is fully aware that not all pupils write in a neat and legible style and the headteacher has recently started to take workshops for selected pupils.'
In order to further improve, the inspectors say the school also needs to:
'Further develop further the role of middle leaders by ensuring that they use the findings of their work sampling and lessons observations to identify strengths and areas that need to be developed further.'
'Ensure that all teachers make consistent use of the school’s marking policy so that pupils are clear about the next steps in their learning.'
Miss Cockwell added: “As a school, we strive to provide the best education for the children in our care and welcome the actions Ofsted has identified to enable us to continue improving the opportunities and learning experiences for our children.
“As the next part of our journey to outstanding we have already been reflecting and targeting our next steps identified in the report.”
“This inspection is a significant milestone on the journey of improvement which began when Oliver Tomkins Infants and Junior Schools federated in 2011 and is a credit to the dedication and commitment of all those involved in both of our schools.”
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