A VILLAGE primary school has been graded as ‘good’ in several areas by Ofsted and praised for its focus on wellbeing following an inspection.
Overton Church of England Primary School, in Court Drove, was visited by an inspection team on March 25 and 26, who were impressed by the school’s focus on mental wellbeing.
The school, which was previously rated as ‘outstanding’ overall in 2014, received one ‘outstanding’ rating for behaviour and attitudes, and four ‘good’ ratings following the recent inspection.
The report, published on May 9, said: “Behaviour is exemplary in classrooms, playgrounds, assemblies and when moving around the school. Pupils understand the school rules, ‘be ready, respectful and safe’, and what is expected of them.
“They work hard in their lessons, showing high levels of determination when learning something new. Pupils love receiving an invitation to ‘hot chocolate Friday’ for trying their best in their lessons.”
The school, which has 371 pupils, received ‘good’ ratings for the quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
The report emphasised the focus on wellbeing, explaining that “pupils actively contribute to the wellbeing and happiness of their peers” and “warm relationships are evident throughout the school.”
The inspectors found this is due, in part, to the wellbeing ambassadors who organise activities which promote mental health.
Pupils were found to be ‘highly enthusiastic’ about their learning, with the report stating that children were building homes for chicks as they were ‘inspired’ by watching eggs hatch.
Inspectors found that pupils achieve in line with national averages at the end of key stage two national tests.
The report said: “The school prioritises reading. Pupils are positive about their reading lessons and the books their teachers read to them. They learn to understand texts and authors’ word choices. This helps them become better writers as well as readers. Pupils especially love reading to Dora, the school’s therapy dog.”
Lunchtimes are described as being “calm, with the playground an energetic, creative and welcoming environment”, with ‘Fern Club’ offering a quiet alternative for children who “find the playground overwhelming”.
Inspectors found that there is a wide range of clubs on offer, such as choir and dodgeball, which pupils ‘appreciate.’
Pupils are also ‘proud’ to fundraise for their established partner school in Uganda.
The school was found to place great importance on the environment. The report said: “Pupils show great care for each other and their planet. The eco-councillors are working on reducing energy waste in the school.”
Ofsted pointed out: “There is some variability in how well teachers adapt tasks currently. This affects how well some pupils learn.”
In terms of pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) needs, ‘most’ pupils learn well at the school, inspectors said.
The report said: “The school takes a supportive approach to help pupils overcome barriers to learning. Well-planned professional development and in-house expertise is supporting teachers to get better at adapting learning for pupils with SEND more effectively.”
Staff were said to “enjoy working at this school and value the training they receive to develop”.
The report also mentioned that the school has successfully ‘worked hard’ to improve attendance since the pandemic.
Headteacher Fiona Wyeth said: “We could not be prouder of the inspection report that praises the behaviour and mature attitudes of the children, the strength of our curriculum, the quality of the teaching and the relationships between staff and children.”
She highlighted the pastoral support, which was praised by inspectors, adding: “The inspectors spoke to many different children and they all explained that they felt safe, free from being bullied and that poor behaviour was dealt with effectively. Our governors were noted as knowledgeable and fulfilling their roles with dedication.”
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