School pledges to improve following Ofsted inspection

Staff and governors at St John the Baptist C of E (Controlled) Primary School in Ruyton-XI-Towns are working with Shropshire Council to address the outcomes of a recent report from Government inspectors.

The Ofsted inspection, which took place in February 2014, found that attendance is high, children make good progress in reception, and in reading and writing in years 3 to 6, and
behaviour outside of lessons is outstanding.

The report also says that the new headteacher has drawn up well thought-out plans to improve achievement in mathematics and writing in Years 3 to 6.

However, inspectors found that overall the school requires special measures as the achievement of pupils and quality of teaching requires improvement, and the leadership and management and the behaviour and safety of pupils are judged to be inadequate.

School leaders have taken immediate action and are working very closely with education advisers from the council to ensure that the measures needed to bring about the improvements are put in place.

Government inspectors will now return at regular intervals to check on the progress the school is making and that improvements are happening at the pace required.

Although inspectors raised a number of concerns, their report also highlights a number of other strengths.

They found that:

• The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
  outstandingly well.
• Pupils have a strong understanding of how to keep themselves safe.
• Pupils report that there is no bullying or bad language, and this is supported by
  parents’ views.
• Pupils pay great attention to producing work of the best quality.
• Pupils are proud of their school and speak with great enthusiasm about it.
• The school’s leaders have successfully established an ethos where good
  behaviour, hard work and consideration for others are the expected norm.

Julie Ball, headteacher at St John the Baptist Primary School, said:

“We are already working on the issues raised by the inspector.  An action plan is in place to take the school forward, focused on the key priorities.  Staff and governors are fully committed to securing further improvements and we are already making progress.”

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

“It is pleasing that the report highlighted the positive aspects about the school, but it is clear that there are issues that need to be addressed.  The headteacher, staff and governors have already begun work with the support of advisers from the council to address these priorities.  We are all committed to making the necessary improvements to ensure the best possible provision for all pupils at the school.”

The school sent home a copy of the Ofsted report to all parents this week (week commencing 31 March 2014).