West Berkshire school out of special measures

Outstanding capacity for improvement at the school, say Ofsted inspectors

A PREVIOUSLY failing school in Calcot is now out of special measures.

Ofsted inspectors said “a great deal of work has resulted in good progress for pupils” at Calcot Junior School, in Curtis Road, following a surprise inspection which took place on June 8 and 9.

The headteacher Karen Sawyer was praised by the schools watchdog inspector Paul Scott for ensuring development with a “passion and determination recognised by parents, carers pupils and colleagues.”

Teaching at the school, which has 218 pupils, was deemed to be good overall with some impressive and outstanding practice and the school's capacity for improvement seen as outstanding.

To improve further, Mr Scott recommended refining the analysis and monitoring of the school's work and to continue to develop the quality of the teaching.

Planning the role of learning assistants to spread best practice and development of cross curricular links to widen opportunities for pupils were also highlighted.

It was noted that the school had undergone a rapid change since the previous inspections and has embedded practice to ensure those changes were sustainable.

The school was placed in special measures by inspectors in November 2009 because they believed it was “failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capactiy to secure the necessary improvement in the school”.

Mrs Sawyer said of the recent inspection: “We are so proud of our school and how our achievements have been recognised in this excellent report. We are totally committed to a programme of continuous improvement and want everyone to know that Calcot Junior is a great school.”

West Berkshire Council's executive member for education, Irene Neill (Con, Aldermaston) added: “This is an outstanding achievement. Everyone at the school has work so hard and there is no doubt that this has paid off. The school has enormous potential and I wish them continued success.”