Staff, pupils and parents at Reading Katesgrove Primary School are celebrating after government inspectors lifted a notice to improve because standards have improved.
Ofsted issued a notice to improve after a Reading inspection in June 2008 when they found standards and pupils’ levels of achievement and the standard of science teaching were not good enough.
But Ofsted has now given the Reading school a clean bill of health after revisiting the school last month (September).
The latest Reading Ofsted report said Katesgrove is "rapidly addressing the issues which caused it to be given a notice to improve and there is sufficient evidence to show that its capacity to sustain and improve further is good".
The inspectors said that pupils’ achievement is now satisfactory overall and that although attainment in English, maths and science had been low in the past, the most recent assessments and national test results show "there has been considerable improvement compared with previous years, especially in English".
They also noted that pupils’ attainment in science – one of the areas criticised by Ofsted in June – is now average.
The report highlights the key role played by the Reading headteacher and senior management team in improving the school. It said: "The highly effective headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher and senior team, have effectively developed an ethos which is single-mindedly determined to overcome past under-performance".
Among the Reading school’s strengths noted in the report are:
* Outstanding pastoral care, guidance, support and safeguarding procedures, which ensure pupils feel very safe and highly valued
* Pupils are confident, very polite, behave well and have commendably positive attitudes for learning
* Pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen top contribute to their Reading community
* Relationships are excellent, which has helped to create a very positive and purposeful atmosphere
* Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress because they are well taught and well supported
Reading Headteacher James Telling said: "We are delighted to have had the notice to improve lifted. The continuing hard work by all of the children, staff, Governors and parents has been recognised, and we are now looking forward to improving our school even further."
Chair of Governors Gill Godfrey said: "The Governors are delighted that the inspectors have acknowledged the many outstanding and good aspects of Katesgrove Primary School and the determination of Mr Telling and his staff to ensure that the rate of progress towards making this a ‘good’ school is maintained."
Jon Hartley, Lead Councillor for Education and Lifelong Learning, said: "I’m delighted Katesgrove has had such an encouraging Ofsted report. I know a lot of hard work has gone into improving standards and I congratulate the staff, governors, parents and, most of all, the children on the school’s rapid progress. I believe Katesgrove is now well placed to make further improvements, and I look forward to seeing it go from strength to strength."
Reading Borough Council
