Blackfield Primary School rated 'good' by Ofsted inspectors

A HEAD teacher and his pupils were jumping for joy after their school retained its 'good' rating following a visit by Ofsted inspectors.

Blackfield Primary School – part of the Inspire Learning Partnership – was described as "welcoming and happy" in a report.

Inspectors said school leaders focus on "vital" reading skills, including teaching phonics to help pupils spell unfamiliar words.

The report noted that since the last short inspection in 2017 "leaders have developed the school’s integrated learning units so that all pupils learn all aspects of the national curriculum".

Relationships between staff and pupils were "strong", according to inspectors, and these relationships are "particularly successful" in the school's early years provision.

Inspectors said: "Pupils look forward to the regular trips and ‘hook’ activities that teachers and leaders arrange to capture their interest in new areas of study.

"These range from trips to the zoo and Stonehenge to welly walks for the early years."

The quality of the school's education, pupils' behaviour and attitudes and their personal development were all rated as 'good', as was the school's leadership and management and its years provision. Overall, inspectors rated the school as 'good'.

Noting areas for improvement, the report found teachers' subject knowledge was "not as strong" in some foundation subjects and that staff "do not always adapt" their teaching sufficiently for pupils with special educational needs.

School principal Tariq Sasso said: "Everybody at the school is really pleased with the 'good' rating and there's been a lot of hard work from everybody to achieve this.

"We focus on making learning irresistible, not just in English and maths, by focussing on the experience gained across the curriculum. The Ofsted inspectors were really clear about how well we've done that."