In November 2004 Parrett and Axe School in Mosterton was visited by the Inspectors from OFSTED. The Headteacher, Governors and all associated with the school were delighted with the overall findings which described it as a “good, inclusive school with many strengths”, and where “children are happy, work hard and are well cared for by a highly committed staff”.
The Section 10 Report is concerned with the basic education of the children, the management and leadership of the school and its place within the community; it also assesses the way in which the school is addressing both the current and future needs of its pupils.
The Inspectors commented that good progress had been made since the last Inspection in 1999 and that standards have risen faster than the national trends, to reach Good or Very Good levels by the time the children reach Year 6, their last year at Parrett and Axe. The school provides a good quality of education backed by a Good standard of both teaching and learning which are particularly strong in the senior classes and this is provided by a Good overall curriculum together with guidance and support throughout. The provision for the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is Very Good.
The partnerships with other schools and colleges were Excellent (an unusual grading to be awarded) and the partnership with parents and the community was Very Good. The Governance, and the leadership of the head teacher and other teachers, were Very Good, which all contributed to the very effective management of the school.
The Inspectors were able to suggest ways in which the school team can further improve its effectiveness in helping the children make more rapid initial progress at school and these will be addressed as part of an Action Plan to be prepared shortly.
Pupils and parents both expressed very positive views about the school, reflecting the happy and caring attitudes which prevail as well as the high levels of expectation and achievement. The children develop maturity, responsibility, confidence and independence.
We are a Church school so the Inspection is divided into two distinct parts. The Section 23 Report looked at those aspects which are principally associated with the religious nature of the school, its teaching of Religious Education and the background Christian Ethos which permeates the school community.
The “quality of the ethos was very good with some excellent points” within a “friendly and welcoming environment”. The provision for spiritual, moral and social development was Very Good and the quality of planning, leadership, management, teaching and learning of RE were all rated Good. The Section 23 Report suggested ways of strengthening the present level of achievement and of further raising standards, by more focussed learning objectives and monitoring; these points will be addressed in the school’s Action Plan.
The school’s pleasure at receiving this Report was reinforced by recent Press Releases which show Parrett and Axe at the top of the Dorset County results in 2004 in the SATS tests for Year 6 children, who achieved 100% at the appropriate level in all the subject areas examined.
Many of the children come direct from the Mosterton Playgroup, which also received a very good OFSTED Report in June 2004: this commented on the “high quality of nursery education”, the fact that “the children make very good progress in all areas” and “benefit from an outstanding range of activities”. This gives them a very good start when they move on to Parrett and Axe.
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To read our Action Plan Section 10 Click here
To read our Action Plan Section 23 Click here
