A headteacher is ‘exceptionally proud’ after their school received a glowing inspection.
Long Sutton County Primary School was rated ‘good’ across all five categories following a recent Ofsted visit.
“As a staff, we are delighted that the inspection team saw and celebrated all the great things that our whole school community do (children, staff and parents) to make our school a good school in all areas,” a letter to parents issued by headteacher Sarah Gray and chair of governors Geoff Palmer read.
Long Sutton County Primary School. Image: Google
“We consider this an excellent achievement for Long Sutton Primary School and we are exceptionally proud of all staff and pupils.
“We are incredibly pleased that the Inspectors recognised our ethos and values in the report noting ‘the school is a place of high expectations and values’ and there are many further highlights in the report.”
Inspectors attended the school – part of the Keystone Academy – on November 26 and 27, rating The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision all as ‘good’.
“The school is a place of high expectations and strong values,” the report began. “Staff and pupils strive to improve themselves.
“Pupils learn the curriculum well. They know that staff value their hard work and effort. Pupils are proud to receive ‘STAR’ points linked to the school’s values of strength, teamwork, ambition and respect.”
The report added that ‘children in the early years quickly settle into the school’ and ‘develop a love of learning and model their play on the teachers, including ‘teaching’ one another how to read’.
It also praised how the school helps pupils ‘look after their mental health’, labelling it ‘excellent’.
Listing what the school – which has 434 pupils aged between 3 and 11 on roll – does well, the report highlights an ‘inclusive ethos’ and that ‘oversight of the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is robust and supportive’
It continued by stating pupils ‘are respectful to one another’ and ‘broaden their personal and social horizons’ as well as leaders being ‘proactive in improving the quality of education’.
“The school has redesigned the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious and sets out clearly what pupils should learn and when,” it also found.
Inspectors also listed where the school needs to improve.
“The school should ensure that checks on pupils’ understanding provide teachers with the information they need in order to fill any gaps in pupils’ knowledge,” it said.
“The school’s monitoring and evaluation of the quality of some aspects of its work are not as effective as they could be. This means that, on a small number of occasions, areas for development have not been identified.”
Long Sutton County Primary School converted to become an academy in November 2019. Prior to that its predecessor school, also with the same name, was also judged to be good overall.
“We will continue to develop and improve our school as we move forwards, providing the best possible education for our children,” the letter to parents added.