Shrewsbury primary school vows to improve following inspection

Staff and governors at Shrewsbury Cathedral Catholic Primary School are working with Shropshire Council and the Diocese of Shrewsbury Education service to address the outcomes of a recent report from Government inspectors.

Ofsted inspectors visited the school on 8 and 9 July 2014 and found that the school is a safe place, that pupils make good progress in year 6, and that children enjoy a range of activities which help them to appreciate cultural diversity.

However, inspectors found that overall the school requires special measures.

Inspectors say that in order to improve the school needs to improve the quality of teaching, improve leadership and management, and improve governance – and they make a series of recommendations about what needs to be done in each of these areas.

School leaders have taken immediate action and are already working very closely with education advisers from the council and with the Diocese, 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.

Jackie Watkins, headteacher at Shrewsbury Cathedral Catholic 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, added:

“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 on Monday (29 September 2014).