Double celebration for Gretton school

Staff and pupils at a school in Gretton have double the reasons to celebrate after being graded as 'good' by Ofsted and receiving glowing Government praise.

Education inspectors say Gretton Primary School in Kirby Road, which educates almost 150 children, continues to be good with a "warm, welcoming community".

And the school's maths Sats results put them in the top two per cent nationally after every pupil reached or exceeded the expected standards.

Principal Jane MacDonald said: "The team at Gretton Primary is delighted with this report which shows that our ethos and strategies, particularly with regards to the curriculum, are continuing to pay dividends.

"Pupils enjoy coming to the school, have high quality lessons and we provide a range of additional activities in sports, competitions, residential visits and community events."

The school, the smallest in the Brooke Weston Trust, maintained its rating of good after its first inspection since it was last visited in February 2016.

In the report, lead inspector Liz Moore said: "The school is a calm place to learn. Pupils behave well in lessons and play together happily in the well-equipped outdoor areas.

"The school’s values help pupils know the difference between right and wrong. They understand what bullying is and say that it does not occur in the school."

The report added that pupils enjoy learning, that staff receive training and support to deliver an effective curriculum, and that the school is strong at supporting those with special educational needs.

Brooke Weston Trust chief executive Dr Andrew Campbell said: "Congratulations to Gretton Primary which, although our smallest school, has a very big presence, both in its community and within the Brooke Weston Trust.

"It is a wonderful example of what primary education should be, providing a welcoming and nurturing environment, well planned lessons and a huge range of enrichment opportunities."

The school has recently also been congratulated for its exceptional maths results in last year's Sats tests.

In a letter to Ms MacDonald, minister for school standards Nick Gibb MP said: "The Government wants to ensure that every child has the fluency in mathematics necessary to prepare them for a successful secondary education and beyond, which is why I was delighted to see your results.

"Thank you for your work in continuing the drive towards higher academic standards, and congratulations again to you and your staff for your commitment and success."