School inspectors' praise for staff and students

PUPILS at a Newton Abbot primary are thriving academically, personally and socially as their school rapidly improves, say education inspectors.

Every aspect of life at Highweek Community Primary and Nursery is now 'good' or 'better' and some of the teaching is 'outstanding', Osfsted inspectors state.

The school was judged satisfactory by inspectors in 2011, but now they say it is good and set to get even better.

That improvement is particularly notable as school inspectors have been getting tougher with their judgements.

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Three inspectors from the school standards agency, Ofsted, spent two days there last month and their report has just been published.

Lead inspector Paul Delbridge-Smith said: "The school is rapidly improving as a result of the focus by senior leaders on accelerating pupils' achievement and improving the quality of teaching.

"Teaching is generally good and some is outstanding. The school is a harmonious, inclusive and welcoming place and provides an attractive, safe and secure environment for pupils to thrive personally, socially and academically.

"The highly skilled and experienced headteacher has brought a new vision, energy and determination to establish successfully a stable and cohesive community school.

"It is now firmly set on continually improving pupils' educational experiences."

Mr Delbridge-Smith said pupils get off to an exceptional start in the nursery and reception classes because of the stimulating learning environment and imaginative teaching.

They make good progress as they move through the school.

"Governors, staff, parents and pupils are highly confident and complimentary about what the headteacher has done to improve the school," he added.

Mr Delbridge-Smith said to get even better it should raise the quality of teaching and learning to the highest levels and ensure governors take a more central role in supporting school leaders to improve teaching and giving parents more opportunities to support their children's learning.

Headteacher Judith Martyn said: "The team were very complimentary about the work of the school and identified many strengths.

"Credit must go to the hard work of all the staff and children for the rapid progress we have made in under two years.

"We will use this report to support the school on its journey of continued improvement and are very excited by the next phase of the school's development."