Ofsted

There are so many strengths that have been recognised within the report. When I joined the school as headteacher in April 2020, we began a three year plan for improvement. This inspection happened after two years, which was totally interrupted by COVID. We are pleased that our outstanding remote learning provision is referenced within the report ‘Leaders quickly provided remote education.  This was greatly valued by parents’

This grade reflects the journey to improvement that we are on, but also all the changes we have embedded within the school over the last two years.  ‘Staff morale has dramatically improved. They share leaders’ vision and aspirations for pupils. I am especially proud that this has been achieved considering our staff teams have only come face to face since we returned after the Easter holidays.

To ensure children can become the best learners, the foundations of wellbeing, behaviour and personal development needed to be solid and Ofsted confirmed these are.

• OFSTED also praised the work the school is doing to protect pupils and keep them safe.  ‘Keeping pupils safe is of the highest importance’

• Inspectors identified that  pupils behave well around the school and in lessons.  There is a calm purposeful atmosphere because pupils want to learn.   Pupils collaborate well in lessons and have positive attitudes to learning.

• Pupils with SEND are supported well to access the full curriculum.

• All pupils have opportunities to develop confidence and teamwork skills.  There is a strong provision to support pupils' mental health.

Leadership and Management:

• OFSTED said that school leaders ‘have rightly focused on securing a strong reading curriculum for pupils’.

• The Headteacher has provided support and guidance that has quickly established an effective senior leadership team and is developing effective curriculum leaders.

• Governors provide effective challenge and support to school leaders.  Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

As a leadership team, we worked with the inspection team to identify two areas for improvement:

• Curriculum plans in some subjects, such as English, mathematics and music, are well designed and sequenced. However, in some other subjects, this is not the case.

• Leaders should ensure that they design a suitably ambitious curriculum in all the early years areas of learning and ensure that this is implemented effectively. 

These areas are already part of our school improvement plan. This year we have been supporting our teachers to develop their roles as subject leaders whilst further developing an engaging curriculum that will inspire our children to learn effectively. We are delighted that Ofsted have recognised the work that has started and have confirmed that we are moving in the right direction.

Robert Kett Primary will continue to build on our successes whilst maintaining our ethos of an aspirational, inclusive and caring school.