Following the release of OFSTED’s annual report which shows schools in Nottingham are improving, Councillor Sam Webster, Portfolio Holder for Business, Education and Skills, says more still needs to be done to improve outcomes for children.
As things stand Nottingham City has the highest proportion of ‘Outstanding’ rated schools in the region and Nottingham is ranked 99 out of 150 (up 19 places) Local Authority areas for schools with either a ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ rating.
85 percent of schools in Nottingham City are now rated as good or outstanding. This is a 12 percent increase from last year in Nottingham, and represents the sharpest rise in the East Midlands.
Recent successes in Nottingham include:
- Radford Primary – rated good (up from requires improvement)
- Glenbrook Primary and Nursery School – rated good (new inspection)
- The Bluecoat Beechdale Academy – rated good (new inspection)
Portfolio Holder for Business, Education and Skills, Councillor Sam Webster said:
“In Nottingham city, we now have the highest proportion of ‘Outstanding’ rated schools in the region and this is extremely positive. However, there is still a lot of work to do. Along with improved Ofsted inspection ratings in local schools we need to see much better outcomes for children, especially in relation to GCSE results.
“A city the size of Nottingham – one with a long-held national reputation for excellence in many fields – should be performing better at Key Stage 4 and GCSE results still need to improve. There is far too much unfulfilled potential and too many young people are not achieving the outcomes that they are capable of. That’s why we must keep working together to get better.
“Part of that also means encouraging schools and academies to use permanent exclusions only as a last resort with the most challenging pupils, and we can work with them to help bring those numbers down and support youngsters to achieve their potential.
“However, this cannot be achieved individually. It will be a collective effort by the City Council, schools, teachers, staff, parents, and, of course, the pupils themselves. We’re making great strides so far on this journey of improvement in Nottingham and I want to see that continue into the future.”