School that requires improvement '˜will work hard to get it right'

Although Brooklands School’s Ofsted report, which was published on December 5, gives an overall rating of ‘requiring improvement’, inspectors have deemed the school’s leadership and management as ‘good’, and graded pupil personal development, behaviour and welfare as ‘good’ too.

However the quality of teaching, learning and assessment ‘requires improvement’, as does outcomes for pupils.

The school has slipped from its last inspection in 2013 where it was marked ‘good’ overall.

Headteacher Julie Hodgson said: “The inspection team recognised fully that since the new senior leadership team was formed 14 months ago, changes have been made to improve the school but that there has not been enough time to show the full impact of those changes yet.

“The report recognises the hard work that is currently going on at Brooklands.

“There are many strengths in the report, namely regarding behaviour and safety of pupils. Pupils and parents were fully supportive of the school in their comments and feedback. The report states that ‘pupils are very well cared for’ and that ‘pupils enjoy school and learning’. Pupils told inspectors that there was a ‘happy learning environment’.”

She went on: “The areas for development are around teaching in a small number of classes and outcomes at KS2 SATS in the main. However, the report is clear to point out that these areas are already being worked on and that the school is ‘bringing about the necessary improvements to many areas of this improving school’.”

The head said it was pleasingly the report stated that “the school has a broad and balanced curriculum that provides opportunities for most pupils to make strong progress” and that “excellent teaching practice exists in several areas across the school”.

She added: “The staff at Brooklands work extremely hard to get it right for our pupils and we will continue to do so tirelessly to address our areas for development quickly and effectively.

“We are extremely proud of the pupils at Brooklands and will continue to work hard to provide them with the very best education they deserve.”