MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT STILL NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Ofsted inspectors praise the new leadership at primary
A NEW leadership team has started to turn things around at a Stoke-on-trent primary school. Ofsted inspectors assessed St Paul’s CE Primary School in Longton during a two-day visit.
Their recently-published report reveals the Byatt’s Grove school needs to improve, but its new headteacher has already brought about positive changes during just a few months in charge. Inspectors, who visited the school on March 22 and 23, said behaviour and pupil care at the school was good.
However, there is work to be done to ensure the quality of children’s education comes up the required standard. The school says the report is ‘fair’ and that the staff, parents and children were working together to continue the positive changes that have already begun.
Overall, St Paul’s was given a ‘requires improvement’ rating, with inspectors giving the following judgement in specific areas:
The quality of education – Requires improvement;
Behaviour and attitudes – Good;
Personal development – Good; Leadership and management – Requires improvement;
Early years provision – Requires improvement.
The school’s last Ofsted rating, back in 2015, was good. However, following a visit in May 2021, inspectors raised concerns that standards may be declining.
At the most recent inspection, they found the appointment of headteacher Deborah Sadler,
– who took up the post in
January – a new deputy head and changes to the governing body all indicated the school was moving in the right direction.
The report states: “New leaders have quickly got to grips with the priorities for the school. They have shown grit and determination in tackling poor behaviour, improving staff morale, and beginning to think about the curriculum.
“Their actions have already started to have an impact. But it is early days, particularly for the curriculum.
“Not all subjects are planned well enough to help pupils learn as much as they should. Not all pupils read to adults as often as they need to.
“The quality of curriculum organisation does not give all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND), enough opportunity to be successful.”
Inspectors concluded that the school, which has 211 pupils, needs to improve curriculum planning – particularly in English – and prioritise reading and phonics.
Positive points identified during the inspection included the school’s effective arrangements to safeguard children, the ‘caring and nurturing’ staff and the positive impact of a new behaviour policy.
The report states: “Pupils and staff are ‘proud to be a part of St Paul’s’. The new headteacher and deputy headteacher are making a real difference. In a short space of time, they have brought about many improvements. There is still more to do.
“Staff morale is high. The governing body has recently undergone some changes. New appointments have been made with a clear purpose of strengthening the skills and expertise moving forward.
“Leaders and staff are committed to improving the quality of education. Much has been achieved in a short period of time.”
Headteacher Mrs Sadler said she had been ‘overwhelmed’ by parents’ positive comments about the improvements that have already been made.
She said: “We have recently been inspected and we believe that the report is a fair and accurate representation of our current position. We have been overwhelmed by the positive responses from parents who made great efforts to speak to the inspectors to convey how happy they are with the positive changes that they have seen implemented.
“Children, staff and parents all made lovely comments about the progress made so far and we are very much working together to continue to grow. The inspectors were in agreement and supportive of our growth and improvement plans and we are very much on the way to embedding the improvements that we had already introduced.
“This is a wonderful school and in my short time as headteacher, I feel honoured to be able to lead St Paul’s forward.”