An Isle of Wight primary school has dropped in its Ofsted rating — from ‘Good’ to ‘Requires Improvement’.
Leaders of Greenmount Primary School, in Ryde, have pledged to improve after a recent inspection found pupils do not achieve or learn as well as they should.
Leaders are determined to improve the school
Ofsted said leaders are determined to improve the school, but there is more work to do and plans are in place to ensure all pupils get the education they deserve.
Until recently, inspectors said some subject leaders had not had training to help them develop their subjects effectively and had no time to check on how well pupils are learning.
Ambitious curriculum
An ambitious curriculum is being developed, but in many subjects, it lacks precision about what should be taught and when.
This means children in early years do not always learn what they need to be ready for Key Stage 1.
Some teachers, inspectors said, lack expertise in designing tasks to help pupils know and remember more over time.
Inconsistencies in how well pupils are taught to read
While reading is a priority, there are inconsistencies in how well pupils were taught to read, meaning some do not learn as quickly as they should.
Overall inspectors said pupils feel happy, well-supported and secure at the highly inclusive school, where leaders want all pupils, including those with special education needs, to thrive.
Special needs and safeguarding
Clear systems are in place to identify individual special educational needs, and adaptions to the curriculum are made to ensure those needs are met.
Safeguarding arrangements are effective as leaders have established a strong culture of vigilance with clear systems in place to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm.
Pupils feel safe and are confident they can speak to trusted adults in school if they have any worries, the inspectors said.
Pleased positives have been recognised
In a letter to parents, Samantha Cox and Dr Catherine Powell, the headteacher and chair of governors at Greenmount, said they were pleased many positive features were recognised by Ofsted despite the rating.
They said,
“We will take forward the suggested actions detailed in the Ofsted report to ensure the quality of education continues to consistently evolve, to support the changing needs of our learners and secure the best possible outcomes.
“All staff and governors will continue with their hard work, commitment and dedication to children; to their progress, enrichment and enjoyment of school life.”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: laura rivera under CC BY 2.0
