Low-rated school ‘a different place’
BUT FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS ARE STILL NEEDED DESPITE CHANGE AND PROGRESS
AN “INADEQUATE” school has been told further improvements are needed despite progress.
An Ofsted monitoring inspection of Ormesby Primary School took place on May 4, nearly a year after the school was judged to have serious weaknesses in a graded inspection. At the time, the Middlesbrough school was found to have issues with older pupils’ behaviour, with “offensive and derogatory language” found to be spoken regularly.
It was also described as a ‘chaotic’ place where some pupils ‘felt unsafe’’ and lessons at the school were branded as disruptive for older pupils.
However, in its most recent visit, inspectors said leaders have made progress to improve the school, but reiterated more work is necessary and the school remains “inadequate”. Inspectors said the majority of pupils reported feeling happy and safe in school and older pupils spoke positively about the impact of the changes in school.
The report says: “Older pupils talk positively about the impact of the changes in school. They describe it as ‘a different place.’ While the behaviour of a small minority of pupils is still challenging and can still disrupt lessons, you are taking action to support these pupils.”
However, the report also states the delivery of the curriculum across the school remains inconsistent. It reads: “Sometimes, activities are not well matched to what teachers want pupils to learn. The subject knowledge of staff means that, occasionally, explanations are unclear. At times, questioning is not used effectively to check what pupils know and remember. You have already made staff training around teaching and learning a focus. This continues to be an area for development.”
Following the visit, headteacher Amy Blackburn said the team are working hard to make changes.
She said: “The whole school team continues to work very hard to sustain the improvements identified in the letter from Ofsted, we recognise there is still work to do. The children of Ormesby Primary School are a credit to the school; they describe the school as a different place now.”
Chief executive officer of Ironstone Academy Trust, Carl Faulkner added: “The monitoring visit report for Ormesby Primary School shows where the school needs to improve. Ironstone Academy Trust remains committed to making sure all the pupils in each of our schools receive an education that is challenging, gives them the chance to achieve high standards and is provided in a safe environment.
“The trust continues to take action to support Ormesby, and this is already showing positive impact, as seen by the HMI when they recently visited. The newly appointed headteacher is leading the school effectively and pupils tell us how their school has changed, and improved, rapidly.”