Pupils at Berridge Primary are celebrating more than just the start of the new academic year: their school has improved its Ofsted rating to reach the ‘Good’ standard.
An inspection at the school in Hyson Green found the primary has taken all of the steps needed to move up from the previous ‘Requires Improvement’ rating in November 2017.
It means that all primary schools run by Nottingham City Council are now judged to be ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.
The latest improvement also means that across the city, including local authority schools and academies, 86% of pupils now go to schools judged to be ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ – higher than the national average of 84%.
Cllr Neghat Khan, Portfolio Holder for Early Years, Education and Employment in Nottingham, said: “This is a landmark moment for the council – all of the primary schools we oversee are now Good or Outstanding. That’s a tremendous achievement and is down to the collective hard work of everyone involved in education in our city: from the council to the school leaders, our teachers, governors, pupils and parents – it’s something to really shout about.
“In particular, I’m delighted to see such a positive and inspiring report about Berridge Primary. This is the standard we set for all of our schools; we will keep going until every school in Nottingham is judged ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’.”
Ofsted praised Berridge Primary for its teaching, leadership and the pupils’ ‘impeccable manners’ and behaviour. The early years provision was also found to be ‘Outstanding’.
The school, in Berridge Road West, caters for 701 pupils aged three to 11. It was inspected by Ofsted before the summer holidays on 10-11 July.
Inspectors said the school’s key strength was to support a diverse range of pupils – especially those who start part-way through the school year and who do not have English as a first language. The primary has an effective and well-structured approach to supporting pupils who are new to the school – and works hard to ensure children progress from their different starting points.
The report found: “Leaders and other staff are committed to ensuring that pupils thrive in their personal development as well as their academic learning and progress. They ensure that the school has a welcoming ethos and is a positive place in which to learn and work. Pupils and staff are proud of their diverse school culture and its role in the local community.
“Pupils learn about different faiths and religions. A typical comment from the pupils was, ‘It’s important to understand others’. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.
“There is a strong ethos of mutual respect between staff and pupils, and between the pupils themselves. Pupils speak eloquently about what makes a good friend and of the importance of respecting others who are different from themselves or have different family backgrounds.”
The report highlighted:
-Leaders have a clear vision for improvement. Leaders at all levels are effective in bringing about improvements
-Pupils make good progress from their different starting points, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics
-Pupils behave and conduct themselves well at all times of the school day. They have impeccable manners
-Pupils’ personal development is promoted very well. Relationships are positive. There is an ethos of mutual respect
-Staff develop pupils’ language skills very well. Teachers are skilled in helping pupils to understand and use important vocabulary in different subjects
-Teachers have good subject knowledge. They often plan effectively, sequences of learning that enable pupils to make good progress
The report added: “The pupils are welcoming, thoughtful and their manners are impeccable. As well as holding doors open for inspectors, many asked ‘Do you need any help?’ “The youngest pupils in Nursery were observed thanking lunchtime staff for their food and drinks.”
Inspectors found that the role of the Nottingham Schools Trust had played a role in the improvement.
The report said: “External support from the local authority over time through the Nottingham Schools Trust has had positive impact in supporting improvements to leadership and the quality of teaching.”
Commenting on the inspection, Head Teacher James Tee said: “I am very pleased with the recent inspection report which recognises the excellent progress the school has made. The hard work of the staff, governors and children, working alongside a supportive parent community, has enabled Berridge to make continuous improvements.
“We are all very proud to work in a diverse multicultural community where children are supported to make good progress, develop a positive ethos for learning and demonstrate high standards of behaviour. Many of our learners join Berridge with little or no English and, with the support and commitment of our dedicated staff, make good progress leaving school at expected standards.
“We are delighted that our Early Years provision was judged to be outstanding reflecting the excellent work of our early years staff to ensure children have the best start at Berridge. The school will continue to build upon our successes as we plan for the future.”
The Ofsted report can be found at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/139429