Head reveals secret of how school helps pupils beat the odds...
A PRIMARY school in the heart of Salford where ‘nothing is left to chance’ has ended the year on a high.
Holy Family RC Primary in Langworthy serves one of the most disadvantaged areas in the country, yet its pupils buck all national trends.
Children get off to a ‘flying start,’ their behaviour ‘exemplary’ and they excel academically, education bosses say.
The extraordinary transformation of Holy Family, formed when two schools merged in 2012, has won the admiration of Ofsted inspectors, who have praised the school for raising the aspirations and achievement of its pupils.
This school’s secret? A relentless focus on meeting each child’s needs as soon as they set foot in the classroom, says headteacher Clare Baron.
Many youngsters join the reception classes at what teachers term a ‘low starting point,’ with the proportion of children from deprived backgrounds well above the national average.
They may have little or no reading skills, speak English as an additional language or have difficult home lives.
Staff say they start by identifying any barriers that could hold a child back.
“It’s not just about good teaching,” says Clare. “It’s about all of the extra services we have to support the children. We find out what each child needs to achieve.
“When children start at our school many are at very low starting points. We assess each child individually to work out what support they need to get off to the best start.
“It’s taken a lot of work and a change in culture.
“We have the highest of expectations of our children. It’s the same with our special educational needs pupils. The expectations are the same.
“Our philosophy is there are no barriers to achievement.”
It is this aspiration that won the school praise with Ofsted in November.
“Teachers are passionate that their pupils will excel and do their best to remove any barriers they may face,” the inspection report said. “As a result, pupils are fearless and determined to be the best that they can be. Their attitudes to learning are excellent.”
Clare only took over as headteacher in September 2017 but was part of the senior leadership team that has driven improvements at the school since it was formed in 2012.
A big part of the success is having the backing and involvement of children’s families and carers. Ofsted inspectors said parents were ‘overwhelmingly positive’ about Holy Cross.
And the school’s results speak for themselves, with pupils ‘thriving’ in a ‘nurturing environment where they feel safe and happy,’ according to Ofsted.
The inspectors’ report added: “From below average starting points, pupils make rapid progress.”