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Wrotham Road Primary School has upped its Ofsted marks after putting in the hard work

00:00, 11 October 2016

A school told by government inspectors it must do better has upped its marks after putting in the hard work.

Wrotham Road Primary School, Gravesend, has been rated good by Ofsted inspectors after their latest visit.

It showed a marked improvement following an inspection in April 2014 when the watchdog found the school required improvement.

Wrotham Road Primary School Headteacher Sarah Green and Deputy Head Andy Bennett with pupils celebrating the schools good Ofsted report
Wrotham Road Primary School Headteacher Sarah Green and Deputy Head Andy Bennett with pupils celebrating the schools good Ofsted report

Hard work by staff, governors, pupils and parents, impressed inspectors this time around, who rated it good in all areas.

Head teacher Sarah Green said: “I would especially like to thank the parents for their tremendous support throughout the inspection.

“The inspectors were very impressed with the positive online responses and by all the parents who spoke directly to them about their experiences with the school.

“We already knew that our children are a delight to work with and I am incredibly proud of this report and the recognition that our high expectations are being met.”

The inspection was carried out in July and the report has just been published.

It said: “The head teacher, senior leaders and governors provide strong leadership for the school.

“As a result of their work, significant improvements have been made since the previous inspection.

“Teaching and learning have improved and are now good. Overall, pupils make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.

“By the end of Year 6, pupils’ achievement is broadly in line with national expectations.

“Gaps between the achievements of different groups are beginning to narrow.

“Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve as well as others by the end of Year 6.”

There was praise for new starters. “Children get a good start to school in the early years. Their behaviour is outstanding,” the report said.

“Children make good progress, develop confidence and independence and are ready to make a positive start to their learning in Year 1.”

The report went on to praise pupils’ attitudes to learning, the trusting relationships with teachers, and their behaviour.

It also noted staff often “go the extra mile to support pupils and their families who may be vulnerable”, that parents were supportive of the school and there was a “shared ambition” to build on the good work.

However, there is still room for improvement.

Inspectors said to reach the next grade – outstanding – pupils needed to be challenged more to help them make faster progress.

Boys’ writing skills lagged behind the girls, and all could do better in maths.

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