Northamptonshire village primary school retains 'good' rating in latest Ofsted inspection

Staff and pupils at a county village school are celebrating their latest Ofsted report in which they retained a ‘good’ rating and were praised for creating a ‘warm and friendly atmosphere’.

Woodford Church of England Primary School and Nursery, part of Nene Education Trust, was visited by an inspection team in May who spoke to staff, pupils and parents.

The newly-published report said parents were ‘very pleased’ with the school, appreciating the care and support provided, and valued the hard work of the staff at the school, particularly the new principal Lee Donovan.

Mr Donovan said: “I am absolutely thrilled with the comments in this report which reflect how hard all of our community has come together and worked to support our pupils. I want to thank all of our parents and carers for their amazing support, plus I would like to thank every member of staff who has worked towards this incredible outcome.

"We have the most wonderful pupils at our school, so it is lovely to see them shining bright and working hard towards an education that helps prepare them for the world.”

The report noted the 110 pupils felt confident and secure in their surroundings with children able to trust the staff to help them deal with any worries they might have.

Particular reference was made to the behaviour and attitudes of pupils who listen ‘respectfully’ to teachers, ‘concentrate’ on their work and ‘get on well together’. The school was also praised for its ‘calm’ classrooms.

Areas for improvements highlighted by inspectors were the need for school leaders to check on the teaching of the new curriculum in foundation subjects, and that pupils should be given more opportunities to take on positions of responsibility or leadership-related to the ‘limited range of clubs on offer’ at the school. The school has been advised to enhance their personal development offer so that all pupils have access to a rich variety of extra-curricular experiences.

Matt Coleman, director of school improvement at Nene Education Trust, said: “This report may serve as a snapshot of a moment in time at Woodford CE Primary, but we are delighted with what it tells us about the quality of education that the children receive here. Lee and his exceptional team have done a magnificent job here, ensuring that educational excellence is at the heart of all they do. As a close-knit family of schools, we couldn’t be prouder of the whole Woodford community. Well done to all involved.”

Other areas praised were the curriculum, including maths and phonics, ‘wellbeing’ provision, and the school’s Christian vision of ‘shine among them like stars in the sky’ guiding leaders’ ambitions.

Chris Hill, chief executive officer at the Nene Education Trust, said: “Small schools like Woodford have so much to offer their communities. This Ofsted report is testament to the hard work that everyone at Woodford and across Nene Education Trust has done to enable the children at the school to get the very best education. We are proud to have Woodford School within our family of schools.”