Inspectors praise ‘good’ lower school

A lower school has been rated as good, while the teaching and behaviour of pupils have also been commended.
Caldecote Lower School pupilsCaldecote Lower School pupils
Caldecote Lower School pupils

Ofsted inspectors who visited Caldecote Lower School in Upper Caldecote last month have rated it as ‘good’ in all departments.

Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and maths, while staff ‘provide interesting tasks that motivate pupils to learn.’

The inspection team also found Caldecote Lower to be a ‘happy place where the well-being and safety of pupils and staff are priorities.’

The school’s commitment to the welfare and progress of pupils is praised.

In the summary of the key findings the report states: “Strong pastoral care and a sense of community are central to the school’s work.

“There are effective systems in place to track the progress of every pupil.”

Caldecote Lower’s strengths also lie in its strong links with other schools and the community at large.

The report continues: “The school makes good use of links with other schools and specialists to extend experiences for pupils and develop the skills of staff.

“Leaders, including governors, make sure the training given to staff meets the needs of the school, improves the quality of teaching and raises achievement.”

Areas where the school can improve include shortening lesson introductions, as at the moment ‘teachers do not always make sure that pupils have time to use their skills’ as the introductions are too long.

Teachers also ‘do not always give pupils the chance to voice their opinions or to write extensively.”

Headteacher Lindsay Evans welcomed the report.

She said: “We were delighted to achieve a good rating following the recent Ofsted inspection.

“It is no mean feat as the framework is much more demanding than in the past.

“The report celebrates that our school is a happy place where the wellbeing and safety of pupils are a priority.”

She added: “The success of our school lies with all staff and governors sharing high expectations and encouraging our children to reach above and beyond their potential.

“We will continue to strive towards outstanding using the outcome as a springboard for improvement.”

The report is now available to view online at the Ofsted website. Log onto www.ofsted.gov.uk