'Truly inclusive school' praised by inspectors
Inspectors from Ofsted have praised the 'truly inclusive' Bilston Church of England Primary School after finding it continues to be a good school.
They visited the Albany Crescent school in July and, in their report published this week, found it puts 'pupils’ well-being and care' at its heart.
Leaders 'have high ambitions for every pupil and want them to be the best they can be', placing great emphasis on helping them overcome any barriers they may face.
These aspirations are driven through a 'well-designed and sequenced curriculum', which clearly identifies the precise knowledge and skills pupils should learn and helps teachers to teach the right things at the right time.
Teachers have strong subject knowledge, use assessment well and adapt their teaching to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils 'work hard and aim to do well' in calm and orderly lessons. They also have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, including online.
Leaders have prioritised reading, and the teaching of phonics is effective in ensuring pupils become fluent readers. The school supports pupils who speak English as an additional language and have learning gaps or levels below expectations for their age effectively, enabling them to flourish.
Support for pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Staff get to know children and their families very well and interventions are swift and effective, meaning pupils with SEND do well.
Pupils are 'curious, welcoming and friendly, displaying a genuine enjoyment for learning and school' and enjoying 'warm and respectful relationships' with teachers. They also benefit from an extensive range of activities that develop their personal interests, including trips, visits, residentials and after-school clubs, and are encouraged to find their passions and talents.
Leaders, including governors, 'work together to drive up standards' and 'work effectively to address shortcomings they spot'.
When Ofsted has judged a school to be good, inspectors will normally go into the school every four years to carry out an ungraded inspection to confirm that it remains good. This was the second ungraded inspection since Bilston Church of England Primary School was judged to be Good in 2015.
Headteacher Gary Gentle said: "We are delighted that our recent inspection recognised the many positive features to our work. We are a school where all pupils matter and where we have high ambitions for every pupil who attends our school. Our staff work hard to make sure that all our pupils thrive, working in partnership with our parents, carers and governors.
“Bilston CE Primary is a very special place, and I thank everyone involved in making the school a continued success.”
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: "This is a very positive inspection for a school that has been consistently good for the last decade, and I would like to congratulate Gary Gentle and everyone at Bilston Church of England Primary on their continuing success.”
Although Ofsted has stated it will no longer use one-word judgments in future inspections, latest figures show 93% of schools in Wolverhampton are rated either Good or Outstanding, above the regional and national average. In addition, more than nine in 10 Wolverhampton pupils attend Good or Outstanding schools, the best in the West Midlands.
Headteacher Gary Gentle, staff and pupils celebrate Bilston Church of England Primary School’s Good Ofsted report with Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education.
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