A DALE school that retained its outstanding status has been praised by an Ofsted inspector for its staff’s enthusiasm and impeccably behaved pupils.
Bowes Hutchinson’s Primary School maintained Ofsted’s highest ranking after an inspection earlier in the year.
Inspector Mark Evans praised the small school for the way children were developing their skills, particularly in reading and mathematics.
In a letter to headteacher Chris Matthewman, the inspector said: “You lead the school with energy and a clear moral purpose. You know the school exceptionally well and set out your expectations for high standards clearly to staff, parents and carers, and pupils. Staff morale is high.
“Everyone plays their part and, collectively, does their best to achieve significant success in the school.” He added that parents feel the school provides their children with the “best possible start in life”.
Mr Evans praised teachers for their high level of subject knowledge and skill. He added: “Pupils make consistently good progress. They are keen to learn and want to do well. They told me that they love learning. In mathematics, pupils make excellent progress because they apply well-learned and established routine calculation skills to help solve increasingly complex problems. Pupils enjoy mathematics.
“I saw pupils in class three exploring, through discussion, a range of possible solutions, encouraged by their peers and staff, before settling for their answer.”
He described reading as a particular strength of the school. The news was welcomed by staff and pupils when the results of the inspection were released last week. Ten-year-old pupil Heidi Luck said: “It is really good to be an outstanding school even though we are a very small school.”
Ms Matthewman added: “We are delighted with the results of our latest Ofsted inspection, which is testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. The inspector’s comments and notes were particularly pleasing, which demonstrates the qualities of our teaching staff and the positive impact they have on our pupils. However, we won’t be resting on our laurels and aim to build on this success by delivering a continued excellent standard of teaching.”
Peter Nicholls, chairman of the governors, said: “The teaching and support staff work incredibly hard and this latest recognition is fully deserved.
“The pupils are equally a credit to the school.”
