Primary school making good progress towards coming out of special measures

Ofsted inspectors have classed Westfield Primary Academy as a “Good” school after their two-day visit last month – much to the delight of head of school Nicky Tyler.

The report praises the executive headteacher Sir Craig Tunstall. “The strong commitment of everybody at the school towards the achievement of disadvantaged students has been recognised along with the school’s effective transition arrangements, mentoring and monitoring of academic progress, attendance and behaviour as well as the effective support of literacy skills at Key Stage 3”.

The Cavendish School in Warners End Road, Hemel Hempstead, was given the grading for leadership and management, the quality of teaching and pupils” achievement, but scored “good’ on both sixth form provision and the behaviour and safety of pupils.

Inspectors highlighted Winchcombe School students are prepared well for life in modern Britain, and commented on the impressive range of extra curricular activities helping students to continue to learn outside the classroom.

Jason Wood, assistant headteacher with responsibility for pupil premium funding, said: “We are very pleased with the subsequent report that has been written”.

“He has used his experience of tried and tested improvement strategies to develop an excellent culture of improvement across the school which has been translated into sharply improved outcomes for all pupils”.

She added: “We have always thought Westfield was a good school but now it’s been proven”. “It is thoroughly deserved”.

The school, which was judged to require improvement following an inspection during March 2015, was revisited in June. Further improve teaching, and thereby increase the proportion of students making more than the expected progress, by ensuring that all teachers: “use their strong subject knowledge to challenge all students to think deeply about what they are learning and to make links between new and prior learning, and plan work that captures students’ imagination and empowers them to be curious about what they are learning”.