School where 'everyone thrives' rated outstanding
Children and staff celebrated by spelling out the word 'outstanding'
- Published
Pupils and staff at a Derby primary school are "absolutely delighted" after being rated outstanding by Ofsted.
Inspectors said "everyone thrives" at St George's Catholic Voluntary Academy in Littleover, as they awarded the school top marks in all areas.
As of December 2023, only four of Derby's 71 primary schools were outstanding.
Rachael Snowdon-Poole, headteacher, said: “We’re just absolutely delighted, it’s an incredible boost for our community.”
The Ofsted report said: “Pupils are happy and flourish at St George’s Catholic Voluntary Academy.”
“The school is highly ambitious. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils receive everything they need to be successful here. Everyone thrives.”
Inspectors said that pupils 'flourish' at the school in Littleover
Headteacher, Mrs Snowdon-Poole, added: “Grades are one thing but the real satisfaction is knowing that we can be proud in our community and that we are doing the very best we can for our children.”
As a way of celebrating their result, staff and pupils at the school gathered on the playing fields to spell out the word ‘outstanding’ for an aerial photograph.
Deputy headteacher Jennifer Lewis added: “To have it externally recognised that we’re all doing a really good job is just brilliant and it does make us very proud."
Ofsted introduced a new framework for inspections in 2019.
Mrs Snowdon-Poole said Ofsted had “gone a long way” to making sure staff’s wellbeing was also considered throughout the process.
She said: “We felt really supported by our inspectors, they were checking in on our wellbeing throughout the process and they really worked with us as a staff team.”
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