School celebrating ‘outstanding’ rating
A PRIMARY school in west Hull is celebrating its latest “outstanding” rating from regulator Ofsted, recognising the team work that has gone into transforming its status.
A little over two years ago, Collingwood Primary School, in Collingwood Street, found itself in the “requires improvement” doldrums. Ofsted inspectors who carried out a review of the school in November 2021 found it lacking in a number of areas, including the planning and implementing of some subjects, inconsistent teaching of phonics and missed opportunities to challenge and develop children’s language in early years.
While behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management at that time were all judged to be “good”, early years provision and the quality of education were said to “require improvement”. The results led to that overall rating being given to the school.
However, Collingwood, which is part of the Hull Collaborative Academy Trust, has reversed its fortunes, with the Ofsted inspection of February 2024 rating all areas “outstanding”, with the exception of early years provision, which was “good”. Inspectors noted the “exceptional” education the children receive, the “caring and nurturing” relationships between staff and pupils, and the “wide range of enrichment activities” that underpin the curriculum and help to build confidence.
The report said: “The school goes the extra mile to support families. Staff work with parents and carers to remove all barriers to learning and to build relationships within the community. Families from many different cultures, faiths and backgrounds are encouraged to come together at school events. Pupils with special educational needs and/ or disabilities achieve highly and are supported to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.”
Laura Baxter, head teacher, said: “We are immensely proud that Ofsted have recognised the hard work and dedication from the whole team at Collingwood Primary School. We will always feel proud that we get to teach and help shape the lives of the wonderful children, in what is a vibrant and diverse community. They are a credit to the school and their families, and they thoroughly deserve to be known as ‘outstanding.’”