Poplar Street rated GOOD in their recent Ofsted

We are very pleased to share that Poplar Street Primary School has received their Ofsted Report from their recent visit and can now share that the school has been graded as GOOD in every area. Iain Linsdell Headteacher at Poplar Street said, “This aligns with our view of our school and is a useful validation of the hard work our staff do daily to make school a happy and successful place for our children. Most rewarding are the comments used by inspectors which describe school as ‘welcoming, nurturing and caring’ where children feel ‘happy and safe’. This is our principle aim every day as much as it is possible and it is nice to see that inspectors could see that too. Although we are naturally very pleased with the outcome, we know that there are always things that we could do better. We will continue to strive for improvement, keeping happiness and success at our heart.”

Quotes from the Ofsted Report…

Safeguarding…

• Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming, nurturing and caring school.
• Pupils, including children in the early years, feel happy and safe. They said that their friends, and the staff, look after them well.
• Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe and healthy.
• Leaders, governors and trustees take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. They have ensured that staff are well trained to protect pupils from harm. Leaders have developed an effective safeguarding team in the school, which includes pastoral workers, counsellors and therapists.
• Leaders keep meticulous records and diligently follow up on any concerns that they may have about a pupil’s safety or welfare. They work in partnership with outside agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive the support that they need.
• The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when learning online or when using the local roads.

Curriculum…

• Leaders and staff are highly ambitious for the achievement of all pupils, including children in the early years. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils.
• Overall, pupils learn well. This is because of the high-quality academic, social and emotional support that leaders provide.
• Leaders, governors and trustees have built an ambitious curriculum, including in the early years. It is broad and balanced and is commensurate with the national curriculum. The curriculum is successfully designed to help pupils to extend their subject-specific vocabulary in each area.
• Leaders make sure that phonics is delivered in a logical way.
• Leaders identify any pupils who need help to keep up with their phonics knowledge quickly and effectively.
• Governors and trustees successfully hold leaders to account for the quality of education that the school provides.
• Pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding of key topics and concepts. For example, in mathematics, teachers give pupils time to learn important number facts and to practise written calculations.
• Teachers, including those in the early years, make suitable checks on pupils’ learning. These checks help them to identify which pupils need more help, support and guidance.

Reading…

• Children in the early years get off to a flying start with learning to read. Teachers successfully develop children’s early reading knowledge in the Reception class.
• Throughout the school, teachers provide lots of opportunities for pupils to read or to listen to stories. This successfully improves their knowledge and understanding of vocabulary.
• By the end of key stage 1, most pupils can read confidently.
• In key stage 2, the reading curriculum helps pupils to develop their understanding of a wide range of texts.
• Older pupils read fluently. They talk with enthusiasm about the books that they have read.

Behaviour…

• Teachers’ high expectations for behaviour are clear. Pupils behave well. Classrooms are calm. Orderly classrooms allow pupils to learn. Pupils try their best in lessons. Pupils said that their teachers act quickly and successfully to resolve any bullying.
• Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around the school. They listen carefully to their teachers and concentrate well on their learning.

Inclusivity…

• Pupils have a well-developed understanding of diversity. They know that everyone is different and that pupils from all backgrounds will be included in their school.
• (Pupils) They understand fairness, and they know that everyone is equal, regardless of any differences.

Community…

• There is a strong sense of community at the school.
• The support given to families highlights the care and consideration that leaders give to members of the school community.

Extra-Curricular…

• Pupils enjoy the many extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities available to them.
• Pupils revel in their responsibilities, for example as librarians or members of the eco-council. Pupils enjoy the varied range of sports and games that are provided for them at lunchtime.

Click here to read the full report.

Poplar Street Primary School are holding an open evening on Wednesday 30th November at 5pm.

Click here for more information about Poplar Street Primary School.