Bosses at Bungay Primary School say they are on ‘going in the right direction’ despite a recent ‘inadequate’ Ofsted report.
Inspectors from the education watchdog visited the school on March 10 and 11, just over a week before schools were ordered to close to most students as the threat of coronavirus grew.
Following the inspection, Ofsted rated the school, in Wingfield Street, as ‘inadequate’ in the first visit by the regulator since October 2016, when it was rated ‘good’.
In a recently-published report, Ofsted bemoaned the “weak” quality of education and the pupil’s poor attendance record.
Pupils with special educational needs or disabilities were not adequately catered for, with Ofsted saying they “do not receive work that is well matched to their needs”, resulting in slow progress.
Ofsted said: “For too long, pupils have moved to secondary school without the skills and knowledge they need to be successful.”
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However, inspectors found that pupils “want to learn and behave well” and praised the school curriculum’s emphasis on the dangers of the internet and social media.
They acknowledged the improvement in the curriculum for Nursery and Reception, praising the “thoughtfully planned learning activities”.
Inspectors also noted how ASSET Education, the trust responsible for the school, had a “clear grasp” on what it needs to do to improve. Katherine Milk, executive headteacher of the school, pledged to improving standards at the school, even if the Ofsted rating was “disappointing”.
She added: “We are on a journey and have been going in the right direction for over a year. It takes time to improve a school, and this was recognised by the inspectors.
“There is still a lot to do to achieve the recognition that the school, its pupils, parents and local community deserve.
“The trust, senior leaders and governors have the children at the heart of all we do.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure that we give the children the best education in a caring and stimulating environment which makes our children feel safe, happy to be here and keen to learn.”
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