Being on their best behaviour pays off (From Swindon Advertiser)

Wanborough Primary School praised in Ofsted report

6:10pm Monday 21st January 2013 in News By Emma Dunn

PUPILS at Wanborough Primary School are celebrating after Ofsted inspectors judged their behaviour as outstanding.

Inspectors, who visited the school last month, have awarded the school an overall grade of good, but gave behaviour and safety of pupils at the school the top grade.

Andrew Drury, who is in his third year as headteacher of the school, said the result was down to the hard work of everyone involved in the school.

“We are delighted with the report, it just shows all the hard work the staff, parents and particularly the pupils have put in over the last few years,” he said.

“We have quite a high standard here and we were expecting to do well. There is a new framework with Ofsted though so everybody was wondering how that would be applied.

“Next time we want to be outstanding overall. We will continue working hard and I am sure we will get there. We will address issues identified in the report.

“We have committed staff, committed parents and delightful children. Everybody works hard together.”

The school was also given an overall grade of good in its last inspection in 2007.

In the latest report, which was published last week, inspectors said the school has consistently sustained high standards since they last visited.

Inspectors said: “Pupils achieve well and their attainment at the end of Year 6 is much higher than that seen nationally in mathematics and English.

“Teaching is always good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils thoroughly enjoy their lessons because they are interesting and often contain practical, hands-on activities.

“Teachers plan activities that match the differing needs and interests of all pupils well.

“Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils are extremely keen to learn and they respond very positively to the challenges they are set in lessons.”

Inspectors said that to become an outstanding school, teachers need to be clearer about how pupils can improve their work in their marking and give the pupils more time to respond to marking.

They also said that pupils’ work is sometimes spoiled by untidy presentation and the children should have more opportunities to use the ICT equipment.