Francis Baily Primary School positive with improvement plan following Ofsted Inspection

A primary school in Thatcham says it is feeling positive with its plans for improvement following an Ofsted Inspection.

Francis Baily Primary School, on Skillman Drive, was rated as requiring improvement this week following an Ofsted visit in November.

The result was not one the school wanted but one that it expected, with the leaders already implementing an improvement plan before inspectors arrived.

The school was praised for its approach to caring for and developing children.

It secured a ‘good’ judgement in both ‘Behaviour and Attitudes’ and ‘Personal Development’.

The report found the school requires improvement in ‘Quality of Education’, ‘Leadership and Management’ and ‘Early Years Provision’.

While most of the school’s results were above the national average in July last year, the school says its phonics results in Year 2 were not at the expected standard.

This led to an analysis of the systems and quality of teaching in place.

Governors and school leaders identified that the chosen early reading scheme was not enabling all children to learn to read quickly enough.

Acting headteacher Lizzie Hobbs said it is frustrating that the school’s early reading outcome resulted in the three areas requiring improvement.

She said: “Our children and staff were excellent during the inspection, calm, polite and continued to do what they do every day, focused on learning, both new things and also all about themselves as they grow into confident young people.

“It was early reading that was judged by both the school and inspectors to require improvement following the summer results, and inspectors were able to clearly see the actions staff had taken, something they should be very proud of.”

A whole school review of English has been carried out and a plan established to ensure rapid change is possible.

The school said Ofsted visited half a term into the implementation of this plan and they agreed with both the focus and the planned actions including the move to a new phonics scheme.

It added that this work was praised by inspectors, and leaders were encouraged to see their plan through without deviation.

Chair of directors Mike Cole said: “The inspection feedback meeting was, strangely, one of the most positive sessions I have experienced over the years.

“At the end of the two days the HMI praised the trust’s school improvement process as a real strength and considered that the actions already taken were moving the school strongly in the right direction.

“The contents of the report are very limiting so it is important that the school community takes pride in what they have and will continue to achieve.”