Shrewsbury junior school responds to critical Ofsted report

Ofsted inspectors, who visited Harlescott Junior School in Shrewsbury, have said that whilst the school has a number of strengths, it currently requires special measures.

Thee school is now working very closely with advisers from the council to ensure that the measures needed to bring about the improvements are put in place. Government inspectors will return at regular intervals to check that this is happening at the pace required.

According to the inspectors’ report, the key issue for the school is that it does not have high enough expectations for pupils, and some children are given work that does not challenge them enough. The report acknowledges that some improvement has been made in recent terms, but says further urgent work is needed to improve attainment.

However, inspectors did highlight a number of strengths, saying children enjoyed going to school, felt safe and had a strong programme of personal, social and health education which made a good contribution to their personal development.

Headteacher, Stephanie Peters, who joined the school in January 2011, said:

“It’s very important that we provide each and every one of our pupils with the right level of challenge for them, so that they all make the best possible progress at school. We are already working very hard, with support of advisers from the council, on an action plan that will spearhead improvements. We have put in place more rigorous assessment systems that will provide teachers with the information to plan suitably challenging work for all pupils. Parents can be assured we will be sharpening the checks we make on teaching and learning by clearly focusing on areas that need improvement.”

The headteacher also stressed that the Ofsted report recognised a range of strengths at the school. According to the report, for example:
• “The support offered to pupils with special educational needs, related to their behaviour, has led to significant improvements in their personal development.”
• “Pupils feel safe at the school and have a good degree of confidence that staff will look after them and take any concerns seriously.”
• “The school has good links with parents and carers and their views are sought. For example the school has responded well to their requests for more information about what happens each week in relation to the curriculum.”

Chair of Governors, Malcolm Price, said:

“We know that our school has many strengths, and the inspectors recognised that the majority of parents are satisfied with what the school does for their children. But this report gives us a clear challenge to make some important improvements, and to make them urgently. Governors will be playing an important part in making sure that we meet this challenge fully, and that when the inspectors return we have strong progress to show them.”

Councillor Aggie Caesar-Homden, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for schools, said:

“The headteacher, staff and governors are working closely with the council. We are all committed to raising standards and, as the report notes, staff have already put measures in place to improve outcomes for the pupils in their care, and actions to raise standards are beginning to have an effect.”