A Ripon primary school has received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted five years after it was branded failing.
Outwood Primary Academy Greystone joined the Outwood Grange Academies Trust after it was rated ‘inadequate’ in 2017.
Now, in its first inspection since joining the trust, the school has been praised for the way it has turned around its standards.
Inspectors said:
“School and trust leaders have a clear vision and ambition for the school. Their relentless focus on ‘raising standards and transforming lives’ has secured rapid improvement.
“This transformation is a result of their swift action and hard work to improve the quality of education for all.”
The school’s early years provision was rated ‘outstanding’, with inspectors highlighting the “well-resourced” indoor and outdoor classrooms and “ambitious” curriculum designed to offer the best start to their education.
Inspectors also praised the way to school created “confident and fluent” readers through an effective phonics programme, as well as supporting those pupils who needed more help.
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The report said teachers were thorough in delivering the curriculum and checking children’s knowledge. However, it said some subject leaders were newer to their roles and there were still some gaps in pupils’ knowledge which had not been recognised.
Inspectors also said the assessment process in some subjects could be more rigorous to ensure teachers were getting an accurate picture of pupils’ knowledge compared to what they expected.
The school was also advised to ensure any concerns raised by pupils were acted upon and systems for dealing with them were followed, to give children the confidence to report their worries.
The inspectors added:
“Leaders have systems in place to ensure that all pupils regularly attend school. Their mission is that every pupil develops as a well-rounded and responsible citizen.
“All pupils work towards the ‘Outwood Primary Diploma’. Pupils complete activities such as how to be a good British and international citizen. These activities are helping to prepare pupils for their adult lives ahead.
“Staff feel that leaders genuinely care about their well-being and workload. They feel supported. Staff appreciate the training and coaching they receive from school and trust leaders.”
Outwood Primary Academy Greystone principal Emma Abbott said:
“We are delighted that the hard work of the school community has been recognised by Ofsted and we are now officially a ‘good’ school with an ‘outstanding’ early years foundation stage.
“Since joining the Outwood family, the academy has gone from strength to strength, raising standards and transforming lives. We are proud that the report acknowledges that ‘Pupils love to learn at Greystone’ and that they are ‘happy and feel safe’.”
