School has “clear milestones” for improvement

Leaders at a Shropshire school are taking “incisive and urgent action” to improve standards and its Ofsted rating, Government inspectors have said.

Gobowen Primary School received its first Ofsted monitoring visit on 18 September 2013 after being judged to ‘require improvement’ in May.

The inspector said: “Senior leaders and governors are taking incisive and urgent action to tackle the areas requiring improvement.”

The report noted that the work is “building strongly” on the improvements already started by the deputy headteacher, Carol Jones, at the end of last term.

The inspector also outlined that: “Staff, governors and many parents report that the improvements made in such a short time have transformed the school.”

He added that the school’s plan for improvement “accurately identifies how areas for improvement will be addressed” and has “clear milestones”.

Lucy Luke, acting headteacher at Gobowen Primary School, said:

“The school is quite rightly focused on ensuring that the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good or better, and this is highlighted as a target in the new report.

“There are improved systems for checking pupil progress and raising expectation, but the school recognises that there is a need to focus on improving the outcomes for groups of pupils and ensuring governors are part of this process.

“A further priority at this point is ensuring that our Early Years Foundation stage is a ‘stimulating, exciting and enjoyable’ environment.  We are already looking at ways in which the Foundation stage classroom can be redeveloped to meet this, and are excited at the prospect of change.

“Staff, governors, parents and pupils are all absolutely committed to driving the school forward, and our recent monitoring visit clearly recognises the important steps that we are taking towards this.”

Ann Hartley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services – transformation and safeguarding, added:

“We are working with the school to, as the report outlines, ensure it has effective leadership and management, to support the development and implementation of the action plan and the continuing improvement of the school.

“This report shows the school is making good progress and is on the right path to excel in its next inspection.”

The inspector met with the acting headteacher, staff, parents, council representative and governors.  He reviewed a range of documents, including teachers’ planning and lesson monitoring records.  He also looked in detail at the action plan that has been put in place since the previous Ofsted inspection, and visited classes to see lessons and look at books.

Further information

The previous headteacher retired at the end of June 2013 and the deputy headteacher led and managed the school until the end of the summer term.  The new acting headteacher took up post at the start of this term.